Cheers to all the LGBTQ+ Sports Romances having their moment this spring/summer!
This is one of the most remarkable DEBUTS I think I have ever read.
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

What to expect…
- baseball, DUH!
- characters who will quickly make you a baseball fan.
- anxiety/panic attacks/ ADHD that are written with care
- you will laugh, cry, & then want to read it again.
- SEXY HEARTFELT MOMENTS!
🔥🔥🔥

Thank you to the author, the publisher, & to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my review!

I loved the idea of a gay baseball romance! And while the baseball was fun it felt like the romance was being drowned in the baseball knowledge and games. It took me a while to be sold on Gene's and Luis relationship as I didn't really feel the chemistry initially. This caused me to soft dnf the book for a couple months but when I eventually hit the halfway point of the book I very quickly got more immersed in their relationship and story! I also really loved Vince as a character and enjoyed how much the other characters affected the main story.

The trans diversity and representation felt great in this book, and I'm interested in reading more from this author!

Thanks for netgalley for an early arc of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

Thank you to Net Galley and Random House for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed this one as I was constantly rooting for the main character and was interested in where the story was going. I also was interested in the story in imagining a world where there's more inclusion especially in the male-dominated world of sports and romance to boot. We follow Gene Ionescu, the first openly trans player in baseball, on a minor league baseball team. He's followed his dreams and is where he wants to be in life until he meets his new teammate, Luis Estrada. It's love/hate at first but possibly it's not all it seems. They figure out how to support each other as teammates but there something more there. Also, Gene has the dream of making it to the majors but knows it's highly unlikely. Yet, he is a positive force on the team, an incredible player and is always willing to put himself out there. Can he also put himself out there for love and take risks he'd not
allowed. This is a wonderful uplifting story!

I really edged myself with this book because I waited so long to read it even though I had the arc for months and I kept hearing such fantastic things, but for some reason, I held off on reading it. But then I finally picked it up and I could. not. put it down.

This book is so lovely in its representation. Gene is a trans man in the male-dominated world of baseball and so much of this book speaks about what his identity can mean to others who look up to him. I also loved Luis's representation of GAD and how he has his therapy dog Dodger and that his experience is never questioned. This book is just a giant rainbow in the best way and it's a love letter to all different types of identities.

The book heavily features baseball (obviously) but I never felt like I was getting bogged down/lost in the baseball info (as I barely know anything about the sport). You can really tell that KT took the time to get the details of the world right, but also took some artistic licenses here and there. There was a lot of KT's heart poured into this book and you can see it right on the pages.

I'm so happy that this book exists and that I was given the opportunity to read it. Definitely one of my favorites of the year so far!!

Thank you to Dial Press and Netgalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own!

This was such a sweet and wholesome read! I loved the support between the love interests — they really work so well together. Also the main character is so strong and very comfortable with who they are which is great to see. I liked how this book truly celebrated trans joy! It didn’t ignore the difficulties, but just mostly decided to focus on happiness and that’s incredible. This book will mean a lot to many people who see themselves reflected in the characters. And for those who are not part of the queer community, this could build empathy and some understanding around the realities faced in the world (joyful or not). I hope we can have a world with more equal opportunities in sports like the one KT Hoffman creates in this book! Some day, perhaps! 3.5✨ rounded up!

Note: My rating is because it is baseball heavy and I just found some parts would drag because I’m not super into sports. BUT I think it’s still a good read! I’m definitely going to keep my eye on this author in the future!!

I LOVE a good sports romance that actually focuses on the sport as well. Don't get me wrong, the romance was very cute and a large part of the book, but the baseball plot line is what kept me.

The beaverton baseball team and players have my heart. I loved that she kept a running tally of their wins vs losses and had sports commentators discussing the season. It really kept me caring about the team.

Gene learning to believe in hope in his life and that he deserves to be on a professional baseball team because of his skills was super emotional and well done. This was not a story about someone being Trans and learning to love themselves. It was a story about someone who loved everyone else and needed to learn how to love and believe in themselves.

Thank tou Dell what an absolutely stunning perfect debut. I am soooo glad I saved this one for June as it was the perfect book to kick off pride with!!! I love how the author wrote this book it felt so unique and would love to see teams in the future have everyone included. I cannot wait for the authors next book they are one to watch!!!!!

Genes passion in life is baseball. He's the first openly trans gay man to play and that comes with backlash and feeling like he may never get to go pro. But he's happy playing in the minors for beaverton, at least until Luis Estrada is traded to their team and takes his position. A blast from the past rocks gene to his core, but will it effect his whole life? The rivals to lovers trope is done incredibly well in this debut novel. I love the diversity of the characters, the mental health representation and the love story between these two. One open and proud, the other struggling to come out and deal with his anxiety. The pair seemed unlikely, but they fit so well together and the spice was perfect. Just enough to leave you wanting more and the ending was absolutely adorable and wrapped the story up perfectly.

The Prospects by KT Hoffman is a refreshing and delightful sports romance that will capture any lover of queer and sports narratives alike. Hoffman does a magnificent job creating a world that celebrates trans joy and the possibilities of what that could look like in sports. The romance is heartwarming and sweet, two characters and a team you can't help but root for. Gene Ionescu is a lovable and hopeful protagonist that captures the reader from the very first page. Apart from the romance, at the core of the novel is the wonderful friendship between Gene and his captain, Vince, showcasing how important found family is to the queer community. The Prospects is a book I will recommend and KT Hoffman is certainly an author I look forward to reading again.

This is the first book I've read by this author and I really hope to see more. This is about a couple baseball players, one being the first trans person in the league.

This is a queer sports romance. It was really good. I like the hope vs wanting theme. The two was a rivals to lovers romance story. It's a debut novel and I was really happy after reading this.

This was one of the first baseball romance books I've ever read and it did not disappoint. From the first to the last chapter, I was captured by Gene and Luis, both wonderfully written and realistic characters. The author's love for baseball shines through in this book, I am a huge fan of sports romance and this one sets itself apart because of the care that went into the baseball-related information. There is so much queer joy and love filling this book, there were so many times I cried happy tears. I cannot recommend this book enough and typically I am not super interested in the author's notes but I highly recommend reading it at the end.

Nothing like a sports romance in my book, and I loved the holistic look at the game and personal lives in this one. The Prospects shows the representation that we wish there was in major league sports - and that we will hopefully see one day.

This book was so much better than anything I expected. I went in blind and didn't even mind all the baseball talk. This was such a joy to read. Trans representation and one of the sweetest queer love stories I have ever read! This author will be an auto-buy for me from now on.

4.75⭐️

I do not understand anything about baseball, but boy did I love this book so much!!
Queer joy, trans joy, found family. A little bit funny, a little bit steamy, and a whole lotta vulnerability.
Read this book! Gene and Luis and The Whole Beaverton Crew™️ certainly steal bases and will also steal your heart (oh that was so cheesy and I'm not even sorry about it lmao).

Rounding up to five stars. Here I find myself struggling to write a review for a book because I enjoyed it too much! There is something extra compelling about a sports romance that is not set in the major leagues. It's all a bit more human and accessible. But also, the trans joy and optimism in this book is off the charts and I was there for it! This book is really Gene's story and it is so lovely spending time with him - witnessing his growth, experiencing his friendships and following along as he falls for Luis. Also, this book is pretty hot. I'm not sure what else to say because it was just a joy to read and remarkable for a debut.

I'm not usually one for sports romances but I am always a fan of a good queer romcom, and The Prospects did not disappoint.

Gene, the MC is so easy to root for. He's witty and hilarious and strong, and he cares so much for the people in his life. His love for the game was palpable on the page, and it made me want to be at a real game cheering him on. And paired with Luis, who was relatable to me through his anxiety, the two men made a lovable pair of friends to lovers.

It's also worth mentioning the platonic and familial relationships were all darling, as well. I've read romcoms in the past where the side characters were flat but Hoffman does a great job giving each one shape, in particular with Vince, Baker, and Ernie. I just cared about everyone in this book so dang much!

My only complaint: Some details felt a bit rushed. In particular, I never felt like we were given a clear understanding of Gene and Luis' friendship back when they were in college. In one paragraph, Gene would be saying he felt betrayed because Luis left so suddenly but then in another, he would say they barely talked during college. It wasn't very clear.

But overall, I loved The Prospects! This book is filled with hope and love and unabashed trans joy, as well as great rep (Trans MC with ADHD, Gay Mexican LI with anxiety + emotional support animal, as well a Lesbian, gay, and deaf side characters). I highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin RandomHouse for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Prospects
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Author: K.T. Hoffman

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Random House Publishing and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: 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.

My Thoughts: This was a sweet, heartfelt romance that elated optimism, inspiration, and hope. Gene is the first openly trans baseball player in the minor league. Gene is living the perfect life until his arch nemesis, Luis, gets traded to the same team that he is on. They cannot manage a conversation that does not involve yelling, however within the dugouts and bus, they start to establish a comfortable truce. As they begin to grow closer, the tension between them turns from anger to passionate. Will they be able to grow together or will they continue to work against each other? This follows the tropes of professional sports, baseball, queer romance, second chance love, and enemies to friends to lovers.

The author does an amazing job with the mental health representation, really does it justice with compassion and grace. There is also queer and trans representation that was amazing. The supporting characters represented downs syndrome, gay, bisexual, and deafness. Again, the author does an outstanding job at taking care with this topics and representing in a way that is beautiful, graceful, and compassionate.

The characters were well developed, fleshed out well, had witty banter, off the charts chemistry, and were intriguing. The supporting characters were really outstanding and really elevated this storyline to another level. The author’s writing style was complex, swoony, heartfelt, thought-provoking, and just beautiful. You can really tell that the author did research on baseball and loves the sport, the author discusses it with such adoration and passion. The author does a stellar job at balancing the romance with the sport, which is so refreshing. I have read a few novels that absolutely butchered the sport and just focused on the romance. For a debut novel, this is above par. I know we are going to see amazing things from Hoffman. The author builds our characters through a slow burn, then blends the plot into layers over the storyline, then has an amazing Happily Ever After for our MCs.

The tell of a good sports romance is not only rooting for our MCs, but rooting for their team and being invested in the outcome of the game. This was a heartfelt, sweet, swoony romance that will take you on a wonderful rollercoaster reading journey. I experienced the gambit myself. It was really hard to put my review into words because this novel was just so good. If you like Casey McQuiston, Alison Cochrun, or Anita Kelly, you will LOVE this story. I highly recommend picking this up today!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 Stars
🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3/5 Steam Rating
📝 3rd Person; Baseball Romance with Trans & Mental Health Representation

This book right here is simply Trans joy and I loved every minute of reading it! It’s a story about a Trans Man finding his place (and love) while being a member of a Minor League Baseball Team in the PNW. The characters are well crafted and so incredibly lovable. You can’t help but to root for the Beaverton Beavers or for Gene & Luis as a couple!

When I say that this is a sports romance, I truly mean it! Not just the fact that the MCs play baseball, but everything about this book revolves around these characters love for baseball and their team. I had no idea how much I didn’t know about this sport before going into this book.

I enjoyed this book so much, I was easily able to overlook the fact that the MC chose the name Gene and that it’s told in 3rd Person.

After seeing so many friends rave about this book I was so excited to pick it up and it did not disappoint! It's no secret that I love a sports romance, specifically a queer sports romance! After finishing it I know this will be a go to sports romance rec for me! It had everything I love about a sports romance but also had so many other added aspects that really set it apart for me.

The story follows Gene, a queer trans man, who is trying to make a name for himself in the minor leagues. When his former college teammate Luis is traded to the Beavers their long-time stewing chemistry becomes much harder to ignore.

One of my favorite aspects of the book was the detail put into it. It can really take me out of a sports romance when it isn’t accurate, and while I’m not a huge baseball fan I know the basics, and it seemed pretty accurate to me. I also love how Gene’s best friend's husband, Jack, who was deaf was portrayed. The sign language was described in detail really illustrating everything that goes into it: the hand movements, lip reading and emotion behind the signs. I also appreciated the care that was given to Luis’s anxiety. While I do not personally suffer from anxiety, the portrayal felt very authentic to me based on other things I have read.

This was a fantastic debit and I can’t wait to read more from Hoffman!