5 out of 5 stars, 10 out of 10 stars if ya nasty, 100 stars if I could. I have no idea how I'm going to put into words how much I love this book, but I will try my best!!!!!

Summary
Gene Ionescu knows his way around a baseball diamond, top to bottom, inside and out. He basically grew up on one watching his dad play for the Beaverton Beavers, the Portland Lumberjacks's Triple-A minor league team. He was literally made to play--except he wasn't. In his final year on Stanford's baseball team, Gene came out and soon became the first-ever trans man to play professional baseball. He has no plans to play in the majors, it would be silly to even hope for it, but he can lead his team, the Beavers, to the playoffs. But, before the season begins, Gene's former teammate and current target of his one-sided beef is traded to the Lumberjacks. He's not quite sure what it is, but something about Luis Estrada rubs Gene the wrong way. Now Gene has to figure out how to turn his losing-record team into a championship contender while learning to play alongside a man that he has not, can not, and will not ever understand. And maybe Gene will learn that Luis can rub him the right way, too.

My Thoughts
I am a huge baseball fan. I grew up playing softball year-round, my sister plays for the University of Arkansas, and I do not miss a single Houston Astros game if I can help it. You will have to yank bat-on-ball sports out of my cold, dead hands. As soon as I saw this book, just from the cover alone, I knew I was going to love it. And then I read the blurb, and I fell in love with Gene immediately. A trans man playing baseball??? Sign me the fuck up!!! Stories like this are so important, especially right now as lawmakers continuously try to keep trans people from competing in collegiate sports entirely.

I felt so connected to Gene. I cried along with him, I laughed when he laughed, I smiled at what made him smile, I struggled as he did. I see so much of myself and my sister in his journey with accepting and loving himself for who he is and playing to his strengths, not despite his body, but because of it. There's so much expectation as a public figure, and it's very easy to feel pulled in a thousand different directions to do what everybody else wants from you.

"People--teammates, coaches, fans, if you have them--watch you when you play, and they expect you to be that same person always. The version of yourself who steps onto the diamond and has all the rules memorized, all the right moves rehearsed. It's hard, sometimes to find the people you don't have to rehearse for."

There is something so beautiful in learning to live for yourself and not for anyone else. There is sometimes great power in being selfish for the right reasons. I found peace in doing what truly makes me happy, and I'm glad Gene does too. Because it's not a crime to want something, it's not inherently bad or foolish, even if it seems impossible.

KT Hoffman is such an incredibly, insanely, ridiculously talented writer. His characters are so dynamic and serve a true purpose to the story, no matter how small their role is. Each one of his sentences is layered with meaning, and his prose is almost lyrical. I mean LOOK AT THIS!!!!!!!!!!

"His mouth is warm and wet, and so is Gene."

AND THIS!!!!!!!!!!

"There, batting ninth, number zero: starting second baseman Gene Ionescu--the name he chose for himself, and the one he inherited from his dad, one stacked atop the other, an announcement and a vote of confidence all in one."

THAT IS REAL WRITING!!!!!! THAT IS HOW YOU WRITE A GODDAMN BOOK!!!!!!! I have not read a traditional romance book that has knocked me so completely off my ass as this one did in a very long time. I cannot wait to see what Hoffman publishes next, because if it's even half as good as this one, it will blow me away.

Thank you so so much Penguin Random House, Dial, NetGalley, and KT Hoffman for an advanced reader's copy of this book!!!!

I have to use the pun,because this was a home run. I enjoyed how this romance highlights trans joy,features found family, and a sweet pining trauma informed once friends-now teammates- into lovers romance.
I love a romance that captures the feeling of a crush, and this was underscored by the tension of the tragic end to the friendship back in college. Luis is traded to the Beavers,and Gene is confronted with all the broody fineness.
They made me giddy, and this also felt like a team book. I did cheer out loud when the cover clicked, yet I am a theatrical reader. Now I’m not so patiently waiting for the next book.

Sports romances are one of my favorite types of reads - something about weaving the on field/dugout experience into the romance is something I really enjoy. I think this book did a great job of doing that and providing such amazing characters at the same time.

I like how the book is divided into sections which times so well with the different stages of Luis and Gene’s friendship/relationship. Luis’ arrival to the team isn’t the smoothest transition. Gene and Luis do not fall back into whatever friendship/teammate roles they had in college and their interactions are awkward and cold not even taking into account the resentment Gene feels at being moved from his prior position to a new one with Luis’ placement on the roster. But things eventually start clicking for these two characters and eventually the team in general.

I really enjoyed the various characters in the story especially Gene and Luis. I appreciated the mental health representation and discussion about anxiety. I couldn’t help but love Gene’s character off the bat and although Luis took some time to warm up to, I enjoyed reading his journey through the book.

I also liked that this sports romance wasn’t about the glamorous, glitzy side of professional sports. This is a minor league team where players get paid very little. And although in the story Gene has come some distance as a trans player on a professional sports team, there’s this hope that his career hits a home run out of the park to make it to the big leagues.

The Prospects is one of the best romance books I've read this year, and possibly my favorite queer romance ever. This book was full of so much trans joy! It made me extremely happy to see Gene not only living his dream of playing professional baseball, but doing so surrounded by his friends, family, and teammates who all love him. Watching Luis go from being this grumpy guy, to opening up about his anxiety issues, and finally learning to let down his guard and let Gene in was such a wonderful story progression. This book was also a huge love letter to baseball. It was so much fun following the team throughout the season, and definitely makes me want to go to a minor league baseball game.

I just really loved watching Gene and Luis fall in love, and I cannot wait to read what KT Hoffman writes next!

What a fantastic debut from KT Hoffman! I absolutely loved this setting, showing how things could be on a team of human beings with flaws, achieving their dreams. Gene is such a fantastic character that knows who he is, and what he wants with his life, which is exciting to see, especially when we want to see a character who is more than just a trans baseball player. Luis comes to the team, as Gene's former teammate from college, who left when drafted, without so much a word. However, once comes and joins the Beaverton minor league team, he's much more jaded and keeps to himself.

What I love about these 2 men as they relearn about who they are to each other, as well as more about themselves. Their relationship is fun to watch grow on page, as they figure out how to be teammates both on and off the field. I loved the dynamic, but at times, sometimes jumps happened and I logically couldn't follow, but it didn't deter me from devouring the story!

Overall, this is a well written debut and would highly encourage everyone who loves sports romances to give this a read!

Thanks to Dial Press for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

There are no words (but I'm gonna try to find them). This debut romance was just too good, too heartwarming, too charming, and I LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT.

I'm always a sucker for a friends-to-rivals-to-lovers storyline, and the added element of Gene and Luis becoming teammates was so much fun. I love reading baseball romances, even though I don't read enough of them, and it was amazing watching the pair learn to work together on the field, and some of my favorite moments are when they found the magic between them during the game. The chemistry between the two is undeniable, and I loved how natural the progression was from teammates to lovers. And don't even get me started on the whole jersey moment before the last game, because I will never shut up about it. Not only is it quite possibly the cutest thing I've ever read in a romance book, I still haven't recovered from reading it.

There was such a strong found family dynamic between the players on Gene's team. It was so fun to read some of their antics, and at the same time it was so heartwarming to see their support of Gene throughout the story. I also loved being able to spend time with both Gene and Luis's families throughout the book. So many of the supporting characters in this book absolutely shine, which is what I love to see in a romance because it makes the story shine that much more.

Gene had a wonderful journey as a main character. He was such an optimist, and I enjoyed being able to see him come to want things for himself. He tends to have a very hopeful outlook when it comes to life and the game, but he eventually sees how much fuller his life becomes when he actively reaches for more, which I loved (I just want the best for him and the pure ray of sunshine that he is and I loved seeing him want those things too).

Long story short, I loved this book. It's the exact kind of swoon-worthy and hopeful romance that is perfect for spring, and it needs to be on your tbr!

What I like about these two are they work through a lot to get where they are at the end of the book. Gene is an openly trans man and baseball career and he has to work through the struggles of being who he is. You get to see him finally go after what he wants. These two are used to be friends in college but when Luis got drafted, they lost contact. Now he’s here on Gene team and they have to work out the differences they have to make the team work good. What I like about these two are they stare at each other, they do it all the time and it’s funny because everyone on the team knows that somethings going on between the two of them. They have their ups and downs in the relationship. It takes some time to get where they are even grounds. When they talk about what they are and what their future looks like now they are in a relationship. It takes some time to go through those feelings, and what it would look like for them, but they finally came out with a happy outcome for both of them. I love the fact that this is a trans man playing in a pro baseball team. The representation in this book is amazing because you get all different kind of characters. I would recommend this book to anyone that loves to read, LGBTQ+ books, tans male lead, and friends to lovers. I really do enjoy reading this whole book very much.

What’s better than love & baseball?

Gene, the first trans professional baseball player and the heart and soul of the Beaverton Beavers, will lead his team to the playoffs even if it means avoiding the heat smoldering between him and newly drafted teammate Luis (who also happens to be his college teammate and old crush--ughhh SUCH good tension).

Can he keep his eye on the prize of the majors? Or will his hopes be dashed by wanting more with Luis?

I couldn’t put THE PROSPECTS down! It’s beautifully written and I just couldn’t get enough. You’ll love every single minute in Gene’s orbit.

Cheers to:
🏳️‍🌈Gay men in baseball
🏳️‍⚧️Trans representation
🍭Green sour patch kids
🐸Muppet appreciation
🧢 Epic baseball managers

💕Thank you to the publisher for a #gifted early copy of this book!

Gene Ionescu has always loved baseball, from the time he was a child to now that it is his job. He is the first openly trans player in professional baseball, even if he only plays in the minor leagues dreaming of the major leagues. He loves his team and the little family he has built himself. Then his college friend turned rival Luis Estrada gets traded to his team and takes his shortstop position on field.

The rivalry between them affects their game, and they start to train together and actually talk things out. Civility quickly turns to friendship, and before long the tension between them grows and neither of them can ignore it. They both have to learn to be open and truly face what they want head on.

Baseball gays is not a book I expected to love as much as I did. I am not a fan of the game of baseball and actually find it very boring. But man did the author make me love the sport and the boys who play it in this novel. It is truly surprising to me that this is a debut, because this book was flawless in my opinion. The characters were so dynamic, the chemistry was palpable, and the exploration of so many serious topic was so well executed. This was really a romance that challenged the status quo, and did it beautifully.

A delightfully sweet and hopeful romance, filled with the hopefulness and joy of both love and baseball. This one gave me all the feels (and all the tears), both for Gene & Luis but also for their team, as they fought to get into the playoffs and make this one season count. Gene is a forever optimist, which makes him a great person and teammate to be around, but few seem to notice the distinction he sees between hoping for something and wanting something for yourself. When you hope for something, you’re not getting your emotions heavily involved if it doesn’t pan out. But as Gene says, when you want something, “the possibility of not getting it, the grief of losing something [you] never had, hurts too much.” But we must allow ourselves to want things, to believe we deserve them and can achieve them, no matter how scary that risk is. And that’s what we see from Gene and Luis - people who make mistakes but also admit to those mistakes and are honest with one another, who do their best to figure out what it is they truly want, and go for it.

The author says in his afterward that “baseball is a sport that demands optimism in the face of steep odds--a demand with which I, a queer trans person, was exceedingly familiar. As I fell in love with baseball and the hope it inspires, I realized I wanted to write a book where that optimism paid off. A story that felt triumphant and giddy and freeing, the same way a hard-fought, walk-off win in the middle of a playoff chase does.” This book does exactly that. Maybe it’s that I love baseball in the same way Hoffman has learned to, with optimism and joy, and that we happen to love the same team, the Seattle Mariners, and the beauty of the Pacific Northwest, but this book both broke my heart and built it up again.

Gene and Luis have their own issues, both with baseball and with their sexuality and what that means for them as players, and they each struggle with different things. Gene is trying to convince himself that he deserves the life he always secretly wanted, trying to ignore the little voice in his head echoing so many online that wish him ill and think he’ll never make it. Luis is trying to figure out if his lifelong dream was ever HIS dream, and what would make his life the happiest and most worthwhile. In the end, these two have the best ending I could imagine for them - one where nothing is settled, but they are headed in a joyful direction, each doing their best and supporting one another along the way.

There a few small things I wish were different - part of the reason Gene was upset at Luis for so long was because Luis didn’t call and tell him about being drafted and leaving college, he just straight up ghosted him, after being so close all year and clearly having a mutual attraction to one another. When Gene finally asked him about it, all Luis could say he was scared, and didn’t know what it meant that he liked Gene, that playing with him felt right in a way nothing else did. And I understand feeling that way, especially since Gene hadn’t transitioned at that point. But Luis doesn’t even apologize, and to me, that feels out of character and also unacceptable, because that’s something that really hurt Gene for a long time. Gene shouldn’t have had to ask about it, Luis should have brought it up.

I’m also really mad at Baker for yelling at Gene and basically making him break up with Luis or risk ruining both of their careers. I get why she felt she needed to say something, but she clearly said it the wrong way, so much so that Gene’s takeaway was “you’re a shitty player and you blew your shot so back off before you ruin his, too.” Gene and Luis spent a month being lonely and miserable apart and it doesn’t feel like it accomplished anything much that couldn’t have been accomplished with them together. But at least she apologized.

Also, I love the sweetness and symbolism of Gene and Luis wearing each other’s jerseys in the last game of the championship series, but would MILB even allow that?? The point of the jerseys is so each player is easy to track, and I can’t imagine the other team not lodging some sort of protest. But maybe I’m wrong, haha.

I would recommend this one to both lovers of sports stories and lovers of romance, but if you’re not used to romance novels, be aware this one does have spicy scenes. I’d rate this 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

This was a fantastic baseball romance! I loved Luis and Gene so much. Luis’ anxiety felt so real and relatable. And I loved that all the baseball content was accurate. Highly recommend.

As a loyal baseball fan, of course I had to highlight this new release! This book hits so many of my sweet spots: queer rep, mental health rep, romance, and of course, sports! This book is Hoffman’s debut, and he absolutely nailed it and will definitely be an author I follow in the future.

Gene is a shortstop for the Beaverton Beavers, the same minor league team that his dad played for. He also happens to be the first trans man to play professional baseball. Gabe loves his job and dreams of the team making the playoffs - until Luis Estrada gets traded to the Beavers. Luis and Gabe played college ball together, but when Luis gets drafted, he leaves and never looks back. After seven years of silence, Gabe isn’t thrilled to have Luis back in his life, and when he gets moved to second base so Luis can play shortstop, Gabe makes it his mission to make sure Luis plays well enough that he gets called up to the majors and out of Gabe’s life.

There’s just one problem: when Gabe and Luis begrudgingly begin working and practicing together, their on-the-field performance takes off, and the team suddenly starts winning. Suddenly, Gabe’s having a hard time remembering why he wanted Luis gone… and it doesn’t help that he finds Luis attractive. When Luis surprises Gabe by confessing that he’s gay, Gabe has to decide whether he can set aside his feelings and stay focused on the game.

Gabe is an eternal optimist, always trying to see the best in every situation, so his reaction to Luis is out of character (and clearly self preservation). In contrast, Luis is quiet, reserved, stand-offish; he shrinks away from contact and relies on a service dog to manage his anxiety. I couldn’t help but fall for these characters and root for them to find their happiness.

Best of all, this is a sports romance that actually nails the spot. Hoffman is obviously a baseball fan, and he so perfectly captures the nuances of the game. I felt like I was right there on the field!

Trust me - give this book a shot. You won’t regret it.

I love love loved this book! Trans rep, trans joy! So much queer joy! I felt so safe reading this book. Every character was lovingly crafted with their own baggage, personality, place in the world they live, and place in each other's lives. I loved that everyone had a chance to be a human, and that they were forgiven when being human ended up meaning things were messy and sometimes hurtful. I want to shout from the rooftops about this book. I'm going to force all of my friends to read this. More trans people in romance! More trans people in sports romance! More effortless diversity and inclusion in romance and all books! I wish I could go back and read this for the first time again, but I'll have to settle for rereading it over and over.
Thank you to NETgalley for this ARC!

One sentence summary: Everything changes for Gene when his former friend turned rival, Luis, gets trade to his minor league baseball team.

My thoughts: I love Gene and Luis so much! This book was full of heart and hope and honestly was such a joy to read. There were just so many tender and sweet moments in this book that felt like warm hugs.

There is a lot of baseball talk in this one which I can see deterring some, but I thoroughly enjoyed all the baseball. It really made me want to go to a game!

Recommended for baseball fans, romance lovers, and anyone needing some joy and hope in their lives.

The Prospects follows Gene, a minor league baseball player, as he navigates his current baseball season and his feelings for his newly transferred teammate, Luis.

This is a queer rivals to lovers story with some amazing representation. It was interesting to see how the author navigated the role of gender and sexuality within the world of baseball, while providing an uplifting and heartwarming story.

The characters themselves had wonderful chemistry - and a history that impacted and influenced how they were choosing to navigate around each other in the present. I thought that they were believable and well written and had fully realized hopes and aspirations that really came together to create a three dimensional picture of who Gene and Luis are as people.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one - as a former baseball player in my youth, and as a gay man - it was a wonderful story with some amazing representation.

God what a cute little book. I'm a sucker for sports romances and this one was no different. And then make it queer? I was in this book's chokehold from the get-go. This was such a good story and I'm definitely interested in seeing how this author progresses throughout their writing career if this is their debut book.
Look, I won't lie to you. Do I know anything about baseball? Not really, no. But K.T Hoffman did a really good job at making me not care about that. Sure, I didn't always understand the terms, but the vibes were there, and I was just as on the edge of my seat to see if they pulled through as much as the actual characters in the book were. And the romance?? I was SAT. I love me a good little rivals to lovers moment and this book delivered. I thought the relationship between Gene and Luis was pretty cute and I liked seeing them together throughout the novel.
Was this book all about baseball? yeah. But it was also about queer relationships, discovering your identity, carving your own space in the world, and surrounding yourself with the people you love and who love you.
My one issue with this book? so glad you asked. The third act breakup. No, in reality that did affect my rating, but not much, I just don't FEEL like this book was a 5 star read, but, I still really enjoyed it. 4.25 stars.

Thank you to the publisher (Penguin, you never let me down) and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this wonderful little book.

This is the perfect romance for springtime as baseball season is kicking off. The Prospects is fast paced and witty, and brings out all the best bits of a day at the ballpark. I felt like I was sitting in the dugout cheering along with the players.

Gene's experiences as a trans athlete add an important layer of representation and authenticity to the story. I loved his stubborn optimism along with his solid friendship with Vince, and how he was able to allow Luis to be open and honest about his own life. There’s also a strong found family element with the team.

Overall a solid romance with some satisfying spice, and by the end of the book you’ll be eager to add some baseball games into your summer schedule.

The rundown: 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. 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.

Am I glad I read it? So, so glad. This book feels like the perfect combination of the tender hopefulness of Cat Sebastian’s midcentury romances and the thoughtful exploration of the baseball setting characteristic of KD Casey’s Unwritten Rules series. And as a lover of both, that is a compliment of the highest order.

Gene’s story feels like it was crafted with such earnest, gentle care and gifted to us, the readers, with equal softness. It’s about the perhaps small but devastating gap between hoping and wanting. It’s about knowing that you’ve done something special, partly because of the illogic of baseball and partly because you’re very good at what you do, but tamping down the desire to want more, bigger, better. It’s about being afraid of disappointment. It’s about the need to be needed, to prove yourself, while nursing a secret hope to be wanted regardless. It’s about finding the courage to reach for those unimaginable dreams, and having faith that you can do it on your own.

PROSPECTS is full of the expected tension about will I be traded? and what will we do when the season ends?, but it also genuinely surprised me in terms of plot, more than once. That’s not to say that it’s twisty or thrilling because it’s not; rather, it’s a testament to how thoughtfully Hoffman plotted the (debut!) novel. For a long time I wasn’t sure whether Gene would make it to the majors or not, and for almost as long I wasn’t sure whether I wanted him to. By the end, though, I was so perfectly pleased with how everything came together.

One last thing it’s driving me bonkers: ignore anything and anyone who tries to tell you this is an enemies-to-lovers book. No no no. That is completely the wrong vibe and, in my extremely humble opinion, a complete lie. It’s barely rivals-to lovers, considering the rivalry is entirely one-sided and lasts approximately 37 seconds.

Rating: 💚 (loved)

Anything else you need to know? TW/CWs for anxiety; on-page panic attacks; explicit seggsy times; transphobia; homophobia; discussion of past car accident & resulting injury, including medical content; situations where MC is forced to go by his dead name (not shown)

Major, MAJOR thanks to @thedialpress and @NetGalley for the review copy! All opinions expressed herein are my own! THE PROSPECTS is out now!

I love a sports romance and what I love even more about a sports romance is when the author loves the sport and the romance almost equally. I definitely think that’s the case with the Prospects—a queer baseball romance I absolutely devoured. Gene and Louis have my whole heart and I am so excited for more people to read their story and fall in love with them like me.

Gene is a trans minor leaguer who won’t even let himself dream of one day playing in the majors. His life becomes even more complicated when an old teammate gets transferred to his team. Sparks fly immediately between Louis and Gene and I loved the way Hoffman uses baseball to draw them closer together. Hoffman clearly loves baseball and the love for the sport seeps into every page. I also want to mention both Louis and Gene are dealing with mental health issues that, as a fellow sufferer of panic attacks, made me relate to them even more.

I adored this book. It was the perfect sports romance. This was an incredible debut. Hoffman has a huge fan in me and I can’t wait to see what he writes next!

Thank you so much to dial press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

✨in my queer sports romance era✨

I really, really enjoyed reading The Prospects. It doesn't shy away from things that are tough and hard, but ultimately it is so about queer joy and being yourself and loving yourself and it feels like a big gay hug (also, that's what's on the cover).

The Prospects is about Gene Ionescu, a minor league baseball player for the Beaverton Beavers and the first openly trans professional baseball player. I absolutely loved reading about Gene. He loves baseball, and he loves being trans, and he just embodied so much joy and determination. He "decides" what the outcome of the game is going to be, and then that's just how the game goes. But everything gets turned upside down when Luis Estrada, who played with Gene in college until he didn't and they stopped being friends, gets traded to the Beavers. Not to mention the fact that they both play shortstop, but with Luis's trade, Gene gets bumped to second base. Cue them fighting over catching the ball and crashing into each other and missing it.

Gene can't help but stay close to Luis. Luis is closed off and rough, and Gene is the opposite. Not to mention my favorite kind of rivals to lovers, which is where one character (Gene) is mad at the other (Luis), but thinks he's hot, and that makes him even madder. Their coach forces Gene and Luis to start sharing a room on their road trips so they can get over their hatred of one another, and boy do they ever.

The Prospects really is a baseball book. I loved the team dynamic, the way that they play with one another, the hype-ups before the game, the huddles after the game, the excitement after winning, the rough start to the season and the joy when things turn around. It's also really tender -- we get to watch Luis grow to feel comfortable in his own skin, live with his anxiety and all its ups and downs, and we get to watch Gene hold his hand while he does.

I do, of course, wish that there wasn't a third act break-up. But the reunion was sweet and mutual and the happy ending was just what I wanted.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dial Press for providing me with an eARC of The Prospects in exchange for my honest review.