KT Hoffman's The Prospects walks a fine line between the unlikely and the chance of Good Things Happening, and nails it perfectly. The love affair between a transman AAA baseball player and his long time nemesis - and the paths they take to success - is not so removed from the present day that there are no obstacles in their way, but the world is open enough that hard work can lead to Good Things. The characters feel thoroughly believable, and you can't help rooting for them!

✨ Review ✨ The Prospects by KT Hoffman; Narrated by Shaan Dasani

Thanks to Dial Press Trade Paperback, PRHA Audio and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

An emotionally-charged debut from KT Hoffman with AAA baseball players Gene and Luis. Gene's been out as a trans man since college and is the first rising through the minor leagues. Luis, who got drafted and left their Stanford team without even saying goodbye, appears back on the Beaverton Beavers alongside Gene and they need to come to term with the way they left off in the past.

What follows is a tender, emotional sports romance where Gene and Luis rise up to play better because they're playing together. The book grapples with a range of queer and trans identities and how the characters connect with each other through and around and because of these identities.

It's also a story of hope and possibility where trans players can achieve new things but also considers the pressure of being "the first." I also loved the inclusion of things like ADHD, anxiety, and panic attacks in the story.

The audio narration by Dasani really makes this book, bringing us the story through Gene's perspective in a really impactful way.

I loved so much about this book and can't wait for what Hoffman brings next! (Note: this pairs well with Cat Sebastian's new baseball romance You Should Be So Lucky).

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5)
Genre: m/m contemporary romance w/ trans rep
Length: 11 hrs and 35 mins
Setting: Beaverton, Oregon
Reminds me of: Cat Sebastian's You Should Be So Lucky
Pub Date: April 9, 2024

Read this if you like:
⭕️ baseball romances
⭕️ trans and queer characters
⭕️ mental health representation
⭕️ bagels and playlists

I received a review copy from NetGalley

So I'm DNFing at 22%. Not because the story is bad, or the romance won't be like super cute eventually when it gets there, but because I'm not vibing. I really thought I was going to enjoy this a lot more than I am and maybe one day I'll go back to it, but for now it's just not my jam. I like Gene, but I'm struggling with Luis being the romantic interest. I don't find there to be the chemistry outside of teammates.

I do think that there is an audience to love this story though. Especially baseball fans. I think they'll really enjoy this romance.

This was sweet and hopeful! A cute queer+trans sports romance! An easy read! If you're looking for these things, you should read this!

The romance part of the relationship between Gene (Nes) and Luis (Nada) was lovely and nice to read, but I wish there had been more tension and development in their rapport before they get together, because it didn't really feel like they were rivals as much as they were two teammates who didn't communicate well and then learned to communicate well. Overall, I think I wanted there to be more dramatic tension and character development in the book because I wanted to be more invested in the stakes, especially in a sports-focused story. I had a breezy time reading it, but I wanted to like it more than I did!

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the e-ARC!

The writing in this book is so good. The baseball scenes are so beautifully written. I feel like I’m a the game. This book has every I want queer representation, trans representation, a dog named Dodger (go Dodgers!!!!), found family, queer romance, and baseball!!!!

The story is just fine but there was something… and I couldn’t connect the way I wanted to, I don’t know if it was because of the sport that I couldn’t connect or the characters in generally couldn’t even connect with the romance. I loved the concept, and the main character being trans, and what Gene has to experience in the minor leagues. But it was not for me.

Thank you so much to The Dial Press/Random House for the advance copy of this book!

This book will be out on April 9th.

"I don't want to quit."
"Everyone wants to quite sometimes."
"I don't."

Leading up to me reading this, the hype around it was so real and I just couldn't wait to finally dive in to read it for myself. It was really enjoyable!! And it had one thing that I miss when I read other sport romances books - the sport!!! I really love that the author incorporated a lot of the baseball games in the book. It makes it feel more believable and perhaps because in this case both of the love interests on the same team, that plays into their dynamics on and off the field.

I just loved all the relationships in this book. Everyone was such a close group and so accepting of each other. The author didn't avoid that being queer in sports was hard but simply didn't make it such a spectacle (which it shouldn't be). The players were just who they were and that was that. There was just such positive representation through the book - a star player who is married to a man, a woman manager, anxiety rep with a service animal.

I love seeing the relationship between Gene and Luis redevelop over the course of the season. I think having them be former friends/teammates played really well into their current relationship. The intimacy of when they first got together was so beautifully written and I like how KT describes how Luis makes Gene feel in that moment, "with Luis it feels like he has exactly the body he should because it knows how to move with Luis's. It has nothing to do with any of the mechanics and everything to do with Luis himself."

On a side note, I am glad that this book focus was on a minor league team as oppose to the professional league. My city has a huge minor league team and I try to go to a couple games in the summer and it's just amazing how many people will go to root for their local team (Go Fightin Phils!).

I was thinking back on my readings and I am ashamed to say that this was my first adult romance book that has a trans main character. I know I have read them in the YA space which now makes me want to explore more romances with a trans main character.

I am looking forward to seeing what KT will do in the future!! I am hoping for more sports theme books as he did such a great job at balancing sport and romance.

Check this book out if you love baseball, small towns & enemies to teammates to friends to lovers!

4.5

I absolutely loved this. I’ve only read hockey romances before this, but absolutely loved the baseball element.

Gene is an out transgender baseball player in the minor league, when two players from another team get traded to his team before the season begins. One of them is Gene’s former teammate from university, Luis. They were rivals on different teams and now they’re rivals on the same team.

The representation was really well done in this book. Theres quite a bit of representation in it.

The story was highly interested and kept pulling me in. I wanted to keep reading it and seeing what happened next.

The characters were so well written and I ended up with a few faves throughout the whole book.

I honestly loved this story more than words can say and I would highly recommend this. Especially to those that love a sports romance with LGBTQ+, anxiety, ADHD or emotional support animal representation.

I received this e-ARC through Random House via Netgalley. Thank you for allowing me to honestly review this in exchange for the ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the ARC!

At the start of the book I almost DNF because I didn’t love the writing style. However, I set it down for a couple books and came back to and I’m glad I did. I settled into the writing the characters and found a sweet, queer, baseball romance! Luis and Gene are both lovely characters and are clearly well thought out, in terms of what they reflect and represent. I loved the baseball elements, the side characters, and how each character is figuring out themselves and what they want torturer and separately. The grumpy manager is a great addition.

A good story of what happens when you let yourself not only hope and dream but WANT.

Wow! As a huge baseball fan and a huge fan of queer romances this book was amazing. KT Hoffman clearly gets baseball and writes about it so well, i think that you will fall in love with the sport and the characters just from reading the book. The romance was excellent and i was rooting for Gene and Luis the whole time.

This is the queer baseball story I never knew I needed!

Gene "Nes" Ionescu is the first openly trans professional baseball player, and he spends so much time proving he belongs. When his college teammate turned rival Luis Estrada gets traded to Gene's team, Gene has to figure out how to play with the guy. As they develop their teamwork, something else develops too. Can Gene, who never lets himself want, have it all?

I played baseball as a kid and had to quit because girls weren't allowed on middle school teams, so I loved that the woman manager had also played in the pro leagues. And I adored the journey Gene goes through in his playing, his relationships with others, and, of course, the romance. I really enjoyed the way Luis's anxiety was portrayed. I loved the balance between baseball and romance. This is such a lovely story about a trans man finding his best life!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

Rep: trans (MC), gay (MC/LI/SC), lesbian (SC), ADHD (MC), anxiety (LI)

This was a hard one to rate because you rate it at the end of the book. I loved the ending, it made me giddy! But a majority of the book felt a little tedious. I love a good sports romance, even with sports I don’t particularly care for - like baseball. And this one even made me interested in baseball for the first time in my life 😂. But it just felt the story was a little long and drawn out, and weirdly lacking romance.

I would revisit this one again, especially knowing what I’d get into. I loved Gene so much, and I love reading trans romance, so I’m glad this book exists. It is wonderful in that regard. I just also felt that the LI was kind of lacking depth and character. I know that he was kind of misunderstood, but it made him a little bit less relatable.

Overall a very good read! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Gene, or Nes, is a trans baseball player on a minor league team, and when an old teammate from college gets traded to be on his team, he thinks his career is over. He's determined to hate Luis, or Nada. But, the more they practice together and play together, he can't help but see how talented Nada is and how well they get along. It's not long before they're falling into each other's beds, thanks to the help of the team manager/coach who sets them up to share a hotel room when they play away games.

Such a sweet book with the perfect amount of baseball to romance ratio. The characters were all so lovable and there was no serious homophobia or transphobia. The only reason it wasn't 5 stars was because it's a little bit too much of a slow burn for the first 80 pages or so, but once it starts going, it's hard to put down.

I can't wait to see what else this author has in store! The way they write is so different than anything else I've seen, and once I got used to it, I loved it. It's hard not to fall in love with all the characters in this book.

WOW! I recommend everyone pick this up. It was a very slow beginning (I don’t think I was hooked until the end of chapter 8), but man once I got there I COULD NOT PUT THIS DOWN.

Gene Ionescu is the first openly gay and trans man to play professional baseball. Gene dreams of making it to the major league, and has spent the past few years in AAA playing for the Beaverton Beavers. When Gene’s former teammate and current rival, Luis Estrada gets traded to the Beavers, Gene is moved from shortstop to second base and he is NOT happy about it.

Gene and Luis are unable to hold a conversation off the field and on the field they cannot properly communicate. Their coach forces the two to room together on the road in order to get in sync. The two begin to find a rhythm on the field after starting up one-on-one practices. As they begin to mesh on the field, they also begin to open up to one another off the field. The rivalry they have quickly turns to romantic chemistry they just can’t deny.

Gene may be an optimist on the field, but he has never been good at letting himself truly dream. Can he really have it all— the major leagues and Luis?

Some other things I loved seeing representation of: Luis deals with panic attacks and has a therapy dog, the Beaverton coach is a woman (!!) and sapphic, and Gene’s best friend and fellow teammate is married to a deaf man.

This was so charming, with two entirely lovable main characters. I love that the author set this sports romance in the minor leagues. The Triple A experience has a unique feel, Gene and Luis are still playing for their dream and for the love of baseball. There is quite a bit of baseball in Luis and Gene’s story, and as a fan I appreciate it wasn’t just in the background. I also loved how the author talks about baseball as being a kind of odd and old fashioned sport. I’ve never thought of it like this but it was an apt and interesting take. If I’m being a little picky, there are a couple of things that could have been improved, for me. First, it did feel too long, especially early on when there’s not much advancement of the story. I also think a better explanation of why Gene feels so negatively about Luis, more history on why he is still holding on to his hurt feelings. This would have helped increase the stakes for the relationship. But, overall, this couple is really good together, and I loved the evolution of their relationship from college teammates, to rivals, and back to being teammates when Luis is traded to Gene’s team. There is a lot of care and respect with how they treat each, which I enjoyed. One of my favorite aspects of this that our main character Gene is a trans man succeeding in the sport he loves. I don’t believe I’ve come across a trans MC before in the many sports romance books I’ve read. There’s tons of happiness, hope and positivity in Gene’s story and that was amazing. A promising debut, rounded up to 4 stars.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley

I truly loved this book--it's warm and funny and delightful. It's refreshing to read about professional athletes who aren't super rich or nine feet tall.

This book was so adorable. Seriously good. One of the best romances I’ve read in a very long time. All of the characters were just so natural and believable. Nothing really over the top. Gene’s story was so touching and he was genuinely such a sweet character. I really enjoyed reading about his through process and thought that the perspective used for describing his feelings really worked and made this book a joy to read. Found it hard to believe this is a first romance attempt from the author as it was pretty much perfect. The minor league details were also a joy to read. Nancy and Dan brought some fun perspective to the outsider point of view as well.

Personally I’d like to see this turned into a series about the peripheral characters. Would love to read about Vince and Jack as well as the Kyle’s. Maybe we could get a cute romcom for Ernie as well.

I am decidedly not a sports fan. I read this arc because I knew it was in Afterlight’s April box. However, I never felt overwhelmed by the sports talk. Really, I had a hard time putting the book down for the first 60%. I missed out on sleep because I needed to get to the scene where <spoiler>Gene and Luis finally admit their feelings. One of the missing pieces that kept me going was that I only knew how Gene felt and I needed to know more about Luis’s feelings</spoiler>

Things that I enjoyed
The inclusion Gene feels with his team
<spoiler>The mental health representation and showing how ADHD and Anxiety has affected Gene and Luis</Spoiler>
This was my first queer book and I liked reading from a different POV

Steam: 🔥 🔥 🔥

Tropes:
Friends-to-Lovers
Slow Burn
Brooding Boy

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the advanced copy!

KT Hoffman's 'The Prospects' is a shining gem in contemporary literature, seamlessly intertwining a captivating baseball narrative with an empowering portrayal of transgender characters. As a lover of both the baseball and trans storylines, I was utterly captivated by Hoffman's ability to skillfully blend these elements into a truly unforgettable tale. The baseball scenes are rich in detail, transporting readers onto the field alongside the characters, feeling every pitch and celebrating every victory. Meanwhile, the exploration of transgender experiences is handled with grace and authenticity, offering a poignant reflection of the challenges and triumphs faced by the community. 'The Prospects' is not just a novel; it's a testament to the power of inclusivity and the beauty of embracing one's true self. Hoffman's masterful storytelling will leave you inspired and uplifted, reminding us all of the importance of acceptance, love, and the universal language of baseball.

The Prospects hits shelves on April 9th!

DNF after the first part of the book. I just couldn't connect with the characters. While I don't mind having Single POV stories told, this one did not sit with me. I did not enjoy how the characters were introduced, and the side characters felt very flat even though they were supposed to have larger personalities. I didn't understand the sudden shift between the two characters either by the end of the first part. I was never really sure WHY they were rivals/or one sided enemies? I did think it was a nice imaginative story of two men with a backstory playing in a sport others may not think they're welcome in.