Scan barcode
jelkebooks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I received a galley of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Homophobia and Transphobia
joensign's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Car accident, Transphobia, and Injury/Injury detail
its_vendetta's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Wow. such an uplifting book I absolutely adored this!!! Made me remember that I can do everything I put my mind to and that WE CAN WANT THINGS!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Transphobia
Moderate: Homophobia and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Deadnaming and Car accident
gncilluffo's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I LOVED THIS BOOK. You don’t need to be a baseball fan— I have a small knowledge of baseball and still enjoyed it. Gene and Luis are so loveable. A fun story of queer & trans joy and with spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Homophobia, Death of parent, Transphobia, and Racism
cloudprince's review
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Transphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Homophobia
Minor: Deadnaming and Car accident
sarahyjackson's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I loved the interrogation of hoping/wanting; Gene’s love of his trans body and his physicality in intimacy; and the tenderness of scenes between Luis and Gene. I also felt like their characterizations were really consistent and faceted! Spice also great, if a long time coming.
I felt that it was *a lot* of baseball. I am used to sports in sports romance being a kind of backdrop that moves the characters from event to event and this was a bit more of a sports homage than I wanted - but I think baseball fans will adore. Also the way conflict was managed/resolved sometimes felt kind of clunky to me? Like a split take where I’d missed something.
Either way! Baseball season is nigh! Trans men are men! Drop Estrada’s hair products, cowards!
I felt that it was *a lot* of baseball. I am used to sports in sports romance being a kind of backdrop that moves the characters from event to event and this was a bit more of a sports homage than I wanted - but I think baseball fans will adore. Also the way conflict was managed/resolved sometimes felt kind of clunky to me? Like a split take where I’d missed something.
Either way! Baseball season is nigh! Trans men are men! Drop Estrada’s hair products, cowards!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Transphobia and Homophobia
Minor: Deadnaming
daryn's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Transphobia
hazelgirl21's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Mental illness
Moderate: Transphobia
Minor: Abandonment
rdebner's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Transphobia
skye_era_books's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book somehow made me give a fuck about baseball?? Literally loved every second of it, even went and bought a physical copy immediately after finishing it.
Content Warnings
Minor: Transphobia