Thank you to the publisher who gifted me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Gene Ionescu is content to play in the minor leagues. He’s seen teammates get their big breaks, but as the first openly trans man in the world of competitive baseball, he has nearly everything he’s ever let himself dream of.
When his former teammate and long-time rival, Luis Estrada, is unexpectedly drafted onto the team, the careful equilibrium of Gene’s life is destroyed. Luis is standoffish, talented and inconveniently gorgeous, and the two men can barely get through a game together. This is war, and the team pays the price.
So when Luis surprises Gene with a softer side to his haughty demeanour, Gene offers an olive branch – for the sake of his teammates. Soon they discover that their chemistry on the pitch might lead them all the way to the playoffs. And their chemistry off the pitch . . . well, that could be enough to change the game for ever.
The Prospects is a LGBTQ+ sports romance novel that is heart-warming, full of hope and brings a lot of joy. I don’t usually pick up sports romances but I’m so glad I picked this one up because I cannot recommend it enough.
Gene is happy to play in the minor leagues. He has seen his teammates get their big breaks, but as a gay trans man in the world of competitive baseball, he is unlikely to share the same destiny. When Gene’s long-time rival, Luis, is unexpectedly drafted into Gene’s team, everything changes.
His arrival puts Gene’s role on the pitch in jeopardy. The two men can barely get through a game together and the whole team suffers. But, when Gene sees Luis’ soft side their chemistry on the pitch may lead to chemistry off the pitch too.
I rooted for Gene and Luis right from the word go. I wanted nothing but the best for both of them throughout the entirety of the book. We see Gene’s dreams about his career as he works through his hope to get into the major leagues. Also, how kind he is to everyone around him and how determined he is to do the right thing. Then we see Luis navigate his sexuality, what he wants to do with his career and the feelings he has for Gene. I loved them both!
Not only are the main characters of this book crafted so well but so are all the other characters throughout the book. Each is unique and brings their own things to the story. You begin to feel like the Beaverton Beavers are a real baseball team. So much so that I wanted them to win the championships. Meaning I wasn’t just rooting for Gene and Luis but for the team as a whole which I think is clear evidence of a good sports romance.
I don’t know much about baseball myself but thanks to K. T. Hoffman I know a lot more than I did before reading this book. Baseball is at the centre of the book and the author does their best to explain the game to everyone even if you aren’t a fan. I do wish some of jargon was explained a little more for people like myself who know very little of the game.
K. T. Hoffman is certainly an author whose books I will be looking out for more of in the future. He has brought a trans romance story to life in such a beautiful way and I hope in future more from him will follow.
Overall, The Prospects is an excellent LGBTQ+ sports rom-com with a lot of trans joy, hope and representation. I would highly recommend giving it a read!
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