A truly wonderful and special book. I really loved main character Gene, who as an openly trans and gay baseball player brings a fresh, interesting and layered viewpoint to the world of minor league baseball. It was enjoyable to follow his professional and personal journeys throughout the season of play, and his evolving relationship with Luis had some unexpected depth and was a satisfying, sweet slow burn. I would have liked a liked a peek back at Gene and Luis's time on the team together in college to see what they were like when they first crossed paths and made such a huge impression on each other, some of the secondary and tertiary characters could have been a little stronger and the pacing sometimes was a bit slow, but these are minor complaints for a solid debut. Baseball appears to be on-trend this year in romance, and while my interest in following the sport dried up a little over 20 years ago, I appreciated all of the terminology incorporated here, feeling that long-dormant love starting to reignite.

Wow did I really enjoy this book! At times I wanted it to go faster, but that's just because I really cared about the characters and wanted them to be happy. Such a great story and so well done.

I feel like me saying “I’m going to buy this book when it releases” should be enough of a review but I’ll give it a shot anyway.

I want to start by saying how much I <i> adored </i> this book, okay? Like…I want to hug it and give it a special place on my bookshelf with a little hat and a rainbow flag bookmark.

As the first openly out trans gay man in the league, Gene Ionescu has put up with a lot. He is a shortstop in the minors— at least until his former college teammate Luis is traded to his team and bumps Gene from short to second. For that, Gene is resentful, especially after Luis didn’t bother to tell Gene he’d been drafted in their college days. But Luis’s anxiety gets the better of him, and the two men start having extra practices to learn to work together. What evolves is a friendship to lovers situation full of pining and delicious heat.

Disclaimer: I found the present tense a little hard to read, so if you struggle with that, be aware. Also, this book very prominently features baseball: games, jargon, etc. So be prepared to have google handy if you’re not familiar.

I received an advance copy through netgalley for review. This is my own opinion. Huge thanks to netgalley and Dial Press for this arc!

Baseball, Beaverton, Buds? The Prospects is one of those debut novels that you know is just destined to blow up when you read it. KT Hoffman has crafted something so full of joy, teamwork, friendship, and dreaming big.... and I feel lucky to have had the chance to read it early. It comes at a time when the Beaverton(ish) area is actually considering having minor league baseball, and it was fun to imagine running into Luis and Gene around town, as they grow from competitors / avoidant friends into something much more. I know a little bit about baseball from the few Mariners games I've been to and from my very short lived childhood attempt to participate in the sport (hand eye coordination is not something I was gifted with) and while you will get a lot thrown (wink) at you about the game from the start of the novel, the game is just another character in a book that is lovingly drawn and that will draw you in. Thank you to NetGalley for an early review copy, all opinions are my own.

I loved this book SO MUCH! It's a warm and joyous story of loving yourself and being brave enough to want everything you possibly can. Gene is a wonderful character, the first openly trans baseball player in the minor leagues who falls in love with a teammate. I love that his transness was just another thing about him, not his entire identity. I though Luis was a great love interest, and their slow relationship build was wonderful. Definitely recommend this to anyone who loves joyful queer romance!

Queer stories like this give me so much joy! I love the community, the team building and relationships, and the romance. I was screaming nearly every page from all the cuteness 🥹

Oh my gosh I adore this book!! It's so sweet and inspiring. I loved reading about a trans athlete in a way that acknowledged the struggles/extra hurdles he faces but didn't make that this whole character. The way Hoffman handled all the different types of representation was masterful honestly. There were many differences included (both MCs have different ethnicities and neurodivergences) and they were included in such a seamless way that they added to each character without ever distracting from the rest of the story or feeling forced. This was such a sweet romance and I'll definitely be on the lookout for KT Hoffman's next books!

I don't know how you put how much I loved this book into words. This story is beautiful and so sweet. The gay and trans representation is incredible. Gene and Luis are truly magnificent.

I also really enjoyed the mental health representation. As someone who also suffers panic attacks and has ADHD its makes me feel less alone.

Thank you Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!!

Where do I even begin with this book? Within the first 20 minutes of reading, I knew it was an instant 5 star book and that sentiment remained true to the very end. I began The Prospects with little knowledge of baseball and came out wanting to become a full-fledged baseball fan. This book took me on a journey of emotions, celebrating wins, mourning losses, rooting for each character's personal endeavors. I saw myself in Gene, a trans man with a big heart and not enough safe places to store that love. Gene brought a newfound hope and optimism into my life. The bits of representation were also extremely refreshing to see and none of it felt forced. It was all as sincere and as genuine as could be. The writing was fun and playful, yet never felt that it made light of any situation. It was fully immersive and I felt myself getting lost in this book time after time. This book was everything I could have hoped for and more, and I cannot wait to recommend it to everyone I know.

It's always great to see broader perspectives represented in romance, and THE PROSPECTS by KT Hoffman is a cute romance starring a trans man who plays for a minor league baseball team, who falls for his teammate/quasi rival. I enjoyed our protagonist Gene, I liked love interest Luis, and as someone who likes to try and get to multiple baseball games each summer, the backdrop of minor league baseball worked well for me! I've really come to appreciate the romance genre and I love seeing queer and trans stories being included more and more (but there can ALWAYS be more). If you want a sweet romance and enjoy baseball and all it's highs and lows, this book is a good choice!

This book absolutely perfect, no notes. One of my favorite reads of the year.

It’s a must read for any baseball fans, supporters of inclusion in sports, or really anyone who’s looking for a heartwarming romance.

This book had spice with the perfect amount of consent that didn’t detract from the book, diverse characters in sexuality/culture/disabilities, baseball games that are described just enough to keep you on the edge of your seat but not so much that you get bogged down, and simply a delightful plot.

I was a little nervous about the third-person aspect of the book as usually I don’t love that, but I felt like the narration was perfect - we get a good balance of dialogue and seeing inside the Gene’s head, and even hear from the team’s baseball commentators.

I will be recommending this book to everyone I know, and KT Hoffman is now on my autobuy list!

I am never going to shut up about this book for as long as I live, like how soon is too soon to reread a book? Because I wanted to pick this one up again the moment I finished it. I FORGOT TO EAT!!!

From the beginning the whole reason I wanted to read this book was that the name Ionescu piqued my interest, I am Romanian and that is a very Romanian name, I don´t very often see my people in books, and even here it was not that much of a plot point, other than Gene calling his dad tata, which I found nice. Speaking of, I think the main reason I enjoyed this story so much was the characters, the whole cast is so well amazing and I love the feel of found family, a bonus for so many queer characters in one place, we love to see.

Both Gene and Luis deal with their mental health problems and I think each of them was very nicely handled. I loved their story and how they found their way back to each other, but I would have loved to know more about what happened between them before and why the fallout. Overall the romance was very well done, it grows slowly over time and it has a healthy base of friendship. Also, this book made me realize one of my favorite tropes is that “they were in love with the main character all along”, is that a thing??

The plot was the thing that worried me the most about this book because I know nothing about baseball, other than the fact that you are supposed to hit a ball and run. maybe??? If that´s something that is holding you back from picking up this book, don´t worry about it. I think the author did a really good job by including enough Baseball to make it a sports romance but not so much that you have to be an expert. Even as a complete noob, you can enjoy the story.

a hopeful, heartfelt, delightful romp. characters are fully developed, plot and internal reflection were balanced and the romance was lovely. i'm not usually a sports person but if it's queer then yes i love sports! will be telling everyone that i've gushed about check, please! with to read this and also everyone else i talk to.

A huge thank you to Dial Press for my ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

"The Prospects" by K.T. Hoffman explores the journey of a trans man, Gene, navigating love and success within the realm of baseball. For the most part, I enjoyed it, but I do have a few issues that I believe impacted it's overall potential.

One glaring issue lies in the lack of character depth and development. If anything, the decision to focus on Gene as the central character feels misguided, as Luis, a secondary character, possesses greater potential for complexity. He has a much more turbulent, interesting mindset, and he went through some serious emotional growth between coming out to his family & making the decision to change careers. Gene, however, failed to undergo any significant personal growth in my opinion.
In the same realm, I felt that despite the characters being full grown men, there was a severe lack of maturity in the characters and I felt it detracted from the authenticity of the story. It seemed like the characters were cookie-cutter versions of each other, it was very easy to get confused on who was talking because there was no real personality to shine through for anyone. The lack of descriptive language and distinct character voices further contributes to this disconnect, and I found myself struggling to differentiate between characters and comprehend pivotal moments.

I was overwhelmed by the baseball terminology, and I don't know how to say this without being rude, but who actually cares about baseball..? Sure, let it be a significant part of the story by all means, but do you really need to write about the games with such profundity and make it one of the only things they do??

The novel neglects to address the serious themes of ADHD and anxiety—and whatever Vince is going through, too. Why was there no mention of seeing a psychologist and/or psychiatrist for literally any of them?
Why does Luis have a therapy dog?? If anything, he should have an ESA.
Seriously disappointing to see the negligence on both the writer and editor on this topic, as the absence of a discussion surrounding therapy or medication feels like a missed opportunity to portray a more nuanced portrayal of mental health, not to mention potentially helping a reader understand what they can/need to do for themselves.

I absolutely detest third act breakups, and this one was particularly weak, lacking sufficient justification and emotional resonance. Such a bore.

Despite these shortcomings, "The Prospects" offers moments of beauty and excitement, particularly in its portrayal of Gene's triumphs on the baseball field. I felt the excitement, and the devastation, right along with him. Overall, this is good for a debut novel. I can see myself checking out other books by Hoffman as they are released!

The Prospects is a rivals to lovers sports romance, and all of the things I loved when it comes to those! This was honestly just really sweet and kept me hooked from the start

Sports romances where the characters are on the same team are so great! I love watching them go from teammates to more. Teammates spend a lot of time together and it makes avoiding feelings hard.

One thing I learned from this book is that I know very little about baseball. I now know that minor leagues is plural because there is more than one and what a shortstop is. In some ways as a graduate student, I related to the challenges described for the players. Both are low paying jobs that you put up with to get to a better career. For some people, it is worth it and for others, it is not. I liked that this book didn't gloss over that.

It is really fun to watch Gene and Luis go from teammates to friends to lovers. They are in an environment where it is difficult to be gay and in Gene's case gay and trans. I don't think it would have made sense for their relationship to move too quickly. I did like that they supported each other even before they became good friends.

The Prospects does a great job balancing writing about difficult issues like mental health struggles and what it's like to be queer in a largely cis-gender space with a really heartwarming romance and lots of baseball. I am someone who reads sports romance with not a lot of interest in sports so I actually could have done with a little less baseball, but I fully recognize that's a silly thing to ask for. I recommend this to people who like books with good mental health and queer representation as well as people who like sports romance and books about people figuring out the lives they want. Also, there is a very cute dog and some very fun wear my jersey trope.

🌶️🌶️ - This story has a couple of open door scenes. They are described but leave a lot of details to the readers imagination.

🎧🎧🎧 - I listened to the audiobook version of this story. I got used to the narration but initially, it was a bit slow for me and I ended up speeding it up.

Reader, when I finished reading this delightful and heartfelt story, I let out a happy sigh and just sat there for a minute with a full heart, letting it sink in. Ugh. So good.

Something about seeing yourself in a character, especially when you don’t typically, remains incredibly moving. This story was a queer-rivals-to-lovers-sports-romance but in the most expansive way. To be frank, I’ll be reading whatever KT Hoffman writes next because this novel had me laughing, crying, looking up baseball terms and feeling a part of this imaginary family. From the way that ADHD and anxiety disorder were touched on and normalized, to everything about this loving relationship that was just so embodied in the FOR-NESS of it all… even in the hard parts, ugh it was beautiful. I want you to get into this joy, this vulnerability, this faith in all that’s possible.

From the very sexy consent practice that we don’t often get to see in romance novels, to the exhilaratingly described baseball games, I was IN IT. It takes them a while to get there but when they do, the chemistry between Gene and Luis is so tender and sweet. The hopes and dreams they make space for each other to have? 😭 May we each find folks who can hold space for and love us this way. Meeting us right where we are and planting an implacable faith in our visions for ourselves.

One part that I want to post everywhere, that resonated deep within me was this: ‘’the part that queer people maybe understand better than anyone else, is the act of a parent changing the shape of their home so it can fit you, and loving you as much as they always have. More, because they know you better now.’

I teared up when I read that, called a friend to share this quote with them and we’re in firm agreement - we want to see this reminder everywhere! YES!!

Thank you Colored Pages Book Tours, Dial Press and KT Hoffman for the #gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

4.25

Such a sweet read that romance fans will absolutely love filled with wonderful queer joy.

The relationship between Gene and Luis is very sweet. I'm not over how FUN their interactions are! They balance each other so well. I wish there had been slightly more backstory/diving into their history or flashbacks/memories to give a bit more context for their initial antagonism.

Loved all the side characters and their interactions! I am a sucker for a good supporting cast and this book does a great job of it.

Lastly, while it may seem nitpicky, Dodger is described as a therapy dog though he seems to be somewhere in between an emotional support animal and a service dog (goes everywhere with Luis including hotels however has to fly cargo?) This did throw me off a bit as someone who works in rehabilitation especially since he's featured quite a bit.

The book was definitely heavy on the baseball to the point where I wasn't quite sure what was happening during some of the scenes so I think that could have been cut back on but overall didn't really detract from my enjoyment of the book.

Such a promising debut and can't wait to see what else Hoffman puts out. Will definitely be keeping this author on my radar moving forward!!

I can’t even write how amazing this book is. As a trans person and also latino, iit made me so happy to read this story. I’m so happy i got the opportunity to get the arc 🫶 I pre-ordered the physical copy already and can’t wait for everyone to be able to read this wonderful wonderful piece of art

"The Prospects" by KT Hoffman offers a unique and refreshing perspective on LGBTQ+ issues within the world of professional baseball. Gene's journey as the first openly trans player in the minor leagues is both inspiring and heartwarming, shedding light on the challenges faced by individuals in the LGBTQ+ community in the sports industry. Hoffman does a commendable job of exploring these issues with sensitivity and authenticity, making this novel a compelling read for anyone interested in this important topic.
The novel also delves into the competitive world of major sports, showcasing the fierce rivalry between Gene and Luis as they navigate their complex relationship both on and off the field. The tension between the two characters is palpable, adding an exciting layer of conflict to the story. Readers will find themselves invested in the outcome of their interactions, eagerly turning the pages to see how their dynamic evolves over the course of the novel.
At its core, "The Prospects" is a romance that sizzles with chemistry and passion. The slow burn between Gene and Luis is expertly crafted, building up to a crescendo of desire that is both tender and intense. Hoffman excels at capturing the raw emotions of the characters, making their burgeoning relationship feel authentic and compelling. Fans of romance will be captivated by the love story at the heart of this novel.
Overall, "The Prospects" is a solid debut that offers a fresh take on LGBTQ+ representation in sports and a satisfying romance that will tug at readers' heartstrings. While the pacing may be a bit slow at times, and some of the plot twists feel predictable, the novel's strengths lie in its complex characters and nuanced exploration of important themes. Fans of LGBTQ+ romance and sports fiction will find much to enjoy in this engaging and thought-provoking read.
3.5/5 STARS!