This did start of quite cute, I'm not going to lie about that. Gene is just a sunshine of a character, and I loved his optimism. The set up for the romance was also interesting, and the little interactions they had together were quite cute. I also really liked the cast of side characters. I was having a blast. However, this book took a turn for me. I don't know, I just think it tried to do too much, and it got lost in it all. By the end I just was bored, and not really that invested anymore.
As someone who knows absolutely nothing about baseball, there was just too much of it in here. It might seem contradictary because I typically want more of the sport in a sports romance, but there was just too much. I feel like the book didn't do a good enough job making the many, many, seemingly endless baseball scenes accesible for people who only know the bare minimum about the sport. It's a shame because based on the acknowledgements it is clear that K.T. Hoffman is really passionate about it. So I just ended up kind of zoning out during like at least 50% of this book, because there is just too much of it in here.
That makes it so that the romance gets a bit of a backseat. Even though I do think they had their cute moments at the start, I do think their romance was a bit underdeveloped, and once they actually get together (about halfway through) the only scenes Gene and Luis have together are sex scenes, and the third act conflict. It just made the parts of the book I was made to like fall flat to me as well. On top of that as the relationship started happening I feel like the side characters started taking a back seat. I feel like so many of the things I enjoyed at the start just dissapeared as the book continued. So yeah, I really wanted this to work for me, but it really just didn't. However, so many people seem to love this one so take this review with a grain of salt, I guess.

An absolute home run of a debut from KT Hoffman! I love Gene, Luis & Dodger soo much 🥹😍

“Maybe-maybe-this is what it feels like to let people love you even when you fail.”

Guys I absolutely loved this!!! At first that’s really all I could say because this is such a GEM of a book. It’s so refreshing to read about queer joy! I cannot say this enough I absolutely LOVE Gene & Luis. Both individually and as a couple. The ADHD & Anxiety rep were very relatable and very much appreciated. I love the found family and am a sucker for a good rivals to lovers. And while it is a baseball romance don’t worry if you don’t understand the sport I promise!

Gene has always loved baseball and loves playing for the Beaverton Beavers, a minor league team, and for the most part, he loves his career. As the first openly transgender player in professional baseball, Gene has nearly everything he’s dreamed of, that is until his former teammate/current rival Luis is traded to his team, threatening to disrupt Gene’s life.

⭐ Rating: 4.5/5 stars
🗓 Publish date: Apr 9, 2024
🌈 Representation: Queer & trans man MC, queer (lesbian & gay) SCs

CW/TW:
Sexual Content, Panic attacks/disorders, Transphobia, Homophobia, Injury/Injury Detail


Hopeful. Captivating. Sexy. The Prospects by KT Hoffman is all that and more!

I know very little about baseball, but I still felt swept up in Gene's love for the game, and was rooting for him and the Beavers the whole time.

I did find the start a tad slow-going, with Luis and Gene being rivals and not really talking. After about a third of the way in, though, I was hooked.

The trans rep was beautifully done, and it was cool seeing a scene where Gene takes his T shot, which never usually ends up in books. The sex scenes were also really well done, and I'm glad to see space in modern romance books for trans characters to be confident and sexy.

The chemistry between Gene and Luis was excellent, and I adored all the side characters and the found family of sports teams.

Definitely will be recommending this book far and wide for its expertly crafted story of hope and queer, trans joy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dial Press for providing an advanced copy of this title. All thoughts expressed in this review are my own.

First of all, this cover is gorgeous! Also, trans people in sports! And it's blurbed by Anita Kelly, Casey McQuiston, and Alison Cochrun! Basically I was saving this book for a rainy day because I knew I would love it, and I would have been devasted if I didn't. Which made me slightly worried I had set my expectations too high, but wow was it everything I needed it to be.

The Prospects centers Gene Ionescu, the first openly trans player in professional baseball, currently playing for the Beaverton Beavers, minor league affiliate of the Portland Lumberjacks. Gene is an eternal optimist and I loved him so much. He's settling into life in Beaverton, living with his hero and teammate Vince (and Vince's husband Jack), when his "rival" Luis gets traded to his team.

While this is a romance, and I did love the relationship that developed between Gene and Luis, what kept me reading was the pure joy of the found family Gene had made with the Beavers. I loved the parental figures Vince and Jack were to him and his friendship with the Kyles and Gonzo and Baker. This was just such a joyful read, so while it wasn't a perfect book, I can't give it anything less than 5 stars and I am so glad I purchased a copy.

This book was an eye opener for sure. Personally I know a few trans women but no trans men. This was a peek into a trans man’s experience. And also baseball which I’m not familiar with. I’m glad I read this novel and it was informative. It was just not my cup of tea. ARC was provided by The Dial Press/Random House Publishing Group via NetGalley .I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

"But listen, no one has ever done what you're doing. You should do it the way you want to. If you give up now, no one else is ever going the get the chance to try. Keep your eye on the ball."

Gene Ionescu knows he's never going to go to the Majors. He knows that, as a short, gay trans man—the first to openly play in the minors—the Triple-A Beavorton Beavers is as high as he's going to get. But he loves the game, and he's going to do the work and enjoy it even if it's slowly killing him. Until a blast from his past returns, and Gene begins to let himself dream big instead of taking whatever scraps he can get.

Fuck this book was perfection.

Okay, not quite perfection. Objectively, the writing is clunky as hell and in many ways is similar to the writing in Red, White and Royal Blue (lots of telling instead of showing, short, choppy sentences, repetition galore) but the vibes man.

The fucking VIBES are immaculate.

The emotions this book took me through.

I'm a sucker for an underdog story, and a double sucker for a Cinderella sports story. Throw a romance in there and I'm fucking done. Toasted. Game over.

This book has the highs and lows of baseball, the gut-clenching tension of will-they-won't-they, the loyalty that sticks around when the game is one of leaving and people are in transit. It's the loyalty of playing the game and rooting for your team and yourself when literally no one else will.

I loved Gene. I loved Luis. I loved Vince and Baker and the Kyles and Jack and Ernie, and I adored that this was set in Oregon (even if it was set in Beaverton/Portland, boo). I was so happy that despite the team being called the motherfucking Beavers (boo Oregon State), their colors were green, yellow and white (Oregon Ducks!!!).

"But it's also a sports story, and, to me, sports—especially baseball, especially the minor leagues—are entirely about the story. They're about the dreams we have and abandon and find our way back to; they're about who we are when we walk off the field and have to keep living. And they are, of course, about who wins, who loses, and who gets left behind."

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher

i am very rarely a romance fan, especially when smut is included. but as a gay, trans, baseball fan there was no way i could pass on this one. i struggled through the parts i knew i would, but despite that this book blew me away. every small detail from the representation of down syndrome to gene pitching in a blowout loss made this book exactly everything i wanted it to be and more. WHERE can i get an ionescu jersey.

The Prospects is lighthearted and (mostly) low angst. It is a book that radiants hope. Hope for a better world, where acceptance is more widespread. Hope for dreams you barely dare to let yourself want. And hope for a life where happiness and love are abundant.

Gene’s voice and character are engaging. His transness is an integral part of his character without being the focal point of all conflicts. He is confident, accepted (by those who matter), and loved. He has a support system in a whole cast of side characters that are all fleshed out and flawed in their own ways.

The love story was everything that I want in a rivals to lovers book: it develops first into a solid friendship before it ever moves into romance. When romance comes, it isn’t perfect. Gene and Luis have to communicate and work for it; have to learn to trust themselves and each other.

This is a book that easily made it into my favorites and I can foresee rereading it many times. If you enjoy queer sports romance, do yourself a favor and pick this one up!

A final note: while this book is also a love letter to baseball in many ways, absolutely no baseball knowledge is needed to enjoy this story.

Great diverse rep in a sports romance! Loved these characters and how relatable and real they were. This was such a realistic and angsty way of building up a romance. Very much enjoyed it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 ⭐️

I really enjoyed this book. I love reading queer sports romance books, so this was right up my alley. This reminded me of Oofuri in the best way! I loved Gene, he was a very sweet character who was easy to root for. I would have loved if the love interest got his own POV chapters, and if the rest of the team was fleshed out a bit more, as we only got to get to now a couple of them.
The romance was believable and sweet. I prefer a little more slow burn and pining, but that's just a personal preference.
The one gripe I really have is that I just didn't understand what their coach's problem was. She had no right to meddle with Gene's personal life and I don't understand what her issue was.

All in all, great representation and I always love gay sports!

As a trans baseball fan I was super excited for this book, and it didn't disappoint! I loved following Gene and Luis's story. I am also pretty picky about sport romances not being sport accurate, but Hoffman is clearly a baseball fan and I was happy to see that reflected in this book.

I really loved this book. The characters were so complex and well developed. I loved the representation and everything. I loved Gene’s voice and who he was. I also loved Luis and his storyline and how family can make a huge difference in life. This book was so good had found family with real family. The minor league baseball was also so fun. This book was just so good and I need everyone to read it. The representation of mental health and queer characters was so well done and it was truly an amazing book. I think everyone should read it.

Thank you NetGalley and penguin random house for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

So full of hope, joy, and warmth. Reads like a fanfiction in every best way possible. Fantastic characters and reputation with a strong and believable relationship that builds. Reading The Prospects feels like a comforting kiss on the forehead, or someone wrapping a blanket around your shoulders and saying, "Hey, you're going to be okay."

✨“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, 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!!

Look, like I said, I don’t do baseball. I think it’s a silly sport. But I won’t lie – I do enjoy the social aspect of going to watch the local team (the Durham Bulls!) now and again. And it turns out that I really did enjoy reading this and imagining this team, their relationships and dramas and all of it, happening in that setting. It was low-key more fun than I’d anticipated. Also, I was entirely in support of this taking over of “America’s pastime” with queer characters. That is everything I want in a sports-based socio-cultural upheaval! One more sports comment… I thought the inclusion of the local game/color commentators was such a great nod to the uniqueness of small town/local sports. Granted my experience with that kind of commentary is all soccer-related, but I think the vibes are similar. And it was a really fun aspect and a great way to move the story forward quickly, at a few points (the baseball season is so long!), and I appreciated that.

As far as the rest of the book goes, Gene and Luis are so painfully, but sweetly, awkward. I was a little worried to start, because this is a “just one POV” romance (Gene’s), and I was afraid of Luis being able to get over his tough first impressions without his own narrative voice, but it turned out just fine. The enemies-to-lovers turn felt successful and genuine. They both ended up being so vulnerable with each other (content warning and shoutout for very real anxiety and panic attack rep) and I couldn’t get enough of that. I was also super happy with the overall way this played out, both with the relationship and with the baseball career storylines. There was a lot of messaging about following your own dreams, giving yourself the space to decide what exactly those dreams are, for yourself, and then allowing yourself to want and go for them. (A note here, there was also a wonderful side-story, two really, about also knowing when it’s time to let a dream go and find new ones – it was heartbreaking and fulfilling at the same time). Overall, there was a lot of emotional maturity showcased in this novel and I do love that in a romance.

Two random highlights: The Kyles. I mean all the teammates, really, but those three were great. Alright, also Vince. And the manager. Ok fine, the side characters were all really good (and very diverse!). The bonus material at the end – the walkout song list, the annotated bagel recipe and running playlist – were super fun and sweet additions.

Finally, I want to note that this book is so goddamn hopeful that it hurts. And that’s a feeling that is so important to have, now and again, and to remember how it feels. In reading the Author’s Note, that seemed to be a major purpose in the writing of this novel. And I want Hoffman to know that It. Came. Through. Maybe not everything that happens seems possible right now. But that doesn’t mean it won’t ever be, or that that’s a reason not to try/dream for it, and that is the message. The unabashed joy in being who you are – in regards to both gender and sexuality – is on full display here. And even if it’s not always/universally supported, it’s still very, very worth focusing on the many who DO support, and celebrate, that inclusion. When I finished reading this, I felt full. I love that feeling. Everyone deserves to have it, to see it for themselves and people like themselves. Beautiful.

I loved this book! The characters were relatable and lovable, the story was engaging and entertaining, and the romance was steamy! I loved the Pacific Northwest vibes, and I appreciated that it wasn't too focused on sports (as a non-sports fan). Lots of queer joy in this book, it was a great read!

What a sweet story. I’m so pleased to read a book that shows Trans* joy and sheds positive light on Trans* lives. This book is full of wonderful representation; it also features a service dog, and a Deaf character. This book felt like summertime. The confidence that exuded off of the page during the sex scenes was incredible to read. This story is perfect for readers who love baseball, queer representation, badass women coaches, rivals to friends and then to lovers, and reaching for your dreams.

The Prospects is, hands down, the most optimistic romance I've read so far this year. What's more impressive, however, is that it manages that optimism without crossing into 'cloyingly sweet' territory. To put it simply: I loved this novel. Every page.

Read this is you enjoy:

✦ sports-ball romance
✦ slow-burn
✦ superb characterization
✦ single POV
✦ therapy dogs

I look forward to putting this novel into the hands of patrons who already enjoy reading TJ Alexander, Cat Sebastian, Alexis Hall, Casey McQuiston...and the list goes on. I also look forward to rereading this some weekend when I'm feeling overwhelmed by the pessimism of the real world.

This book was super cute. Had a good storyline. It centered around baseball and I am a sucker for sports romances. I loved the connection between Gene and Luis and it felt very natural.

The Prospects by KT Hoffman is a modern day baseball romance novel featuring Beaverton Beavers player Gene Ionescu. He is an optimist at heart who loves baseball and his team. Gene is the first openly trans professional baseball player and is happy with his life. Then Luis Estrada, his former teammate and current rival is traded to the Beavers.

Gene and Luis do not get along at all, on or off the field but over time the long bus trips allow them to become more comfortable with one another and their success on the field starts emerge. And their personal connection? Electric! As Gene falls more and more for Luis he also finds himself wanting the world.

With Gene's wanting for more will he and Luis be able to find a romance together or will Gene take off on his own? Read this beautiful debut novel to find out.

As a huge fan of MM and queer romance as well as a n avid baseball fan this novel was brilliant! The storyline was impeccable and the characters were incredibly well written. I truly fell in love with Gene and Luis and felt myself wanting their love to blossom full force. As not to spoil anything, this is a must read queer romance!!