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A review by erika_winters
The Prospects by KT Hoffman
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
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? Yes
5.0
I am smiling while writing this; my fingers can’t move fast enough to type through all my happiness as I try to condense my thoughts into coherent sentences. This book brings with it a sense of hope. It discusses the love for baseball, trans joy, queer love, and the most adorable gay men in any romance novel I’ve ever read. Gene and Luis, you have my heart for life. KT Hoffman truly loves baseball and you can see it on every page of this book—from the description of the infield dirt on the bottom of Gene’s cleats to the sparse crowd filling into the old metal seats of their old Beaverton minor league stadium.
Hoffman knows ball; the baseball turn of phrases within the prose was fun to see on the page as a big baseball fan myself. I found myself smiling and laughing along with the characters, and even crying three different times throughout from pain and from pure queer love that is unapologetically shown in the book. I also loved Nancy and Dan, the Beaverton commentators in the booth; it showed the other aspect of the game so many of us love, which is listening to keen insight from sports analysts to bring the game to life for us via the radio and on television; it reminded me of my love of the Mets television booth consisting of Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez, and Ron Darling (GKR). Speaking of GKR, it was lovely seeing Citi Field on the page and the mention of the Mets as a fond baseball team in Gene’s heart from living in Brooklyn with his dads.
From Baker, to Vince, to the Kyles, to Gonzo, every single character was electric and lovable in their own ways (yes, even the stern Baker who tells it like it is in all her coach-like ways). Hoffman knocked it out of the park with this one, and my heart is swelling with joy after reading this. I will forever think of Gene and Luis and the precious love they have for one another. Baseball is forever, and so is my love for these beautifully queer characters.
My hope, along with Hoffman and so many other queer athletes, is that professional men’s sports becomes more inclusive, and with texts like this, even if it is fictional, will inspire people to make this shift happen and result in the change we so desperately need across every career in life, but especially in sports since it is such a toxic arena for straight, cisgendered men to populate. This book gives me hope looking ahead into a bright future where trans men can find their place in baseball and feel welcomed and appreciated. Here’s hoping that it will one day become true, and we can root and stand behind queer professional athletes in cisgendered male sports who are unabashedly themselves, and when that happens, we will welcome them with open arms.
Hoffman knows ball; the baseball turn of phrases within the prose was fun to see on the page as a big baseball fan myself. I found myself smiling and laughing along with the characters, and even crying three different times throughout from pain and from pure queer love that is unapologetically shown in the book. I also loved Nancy and Dan, the Beaverton commentators in the booth; it showed the other aspect of the game so many of us love, which is listening to keen insight from sports analysts to bring the game to life for us via the radio and on television; it reminded me of my love of the Mets television booth consisting of Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez, and Ron Darling (GKR). Speaking of GKR, it was lovely seeing Citi Field on the page and the mention of the Mets as a fond baseball team in Gene’s heart from living in Brooklyn with his dads.
From Baker, to Vince, to the Kyles, to Gonzo, every single character was electric and lovable in their own ways (yes, even the stern Baker who tells it like it is in all her coach-like ways). Hoffman knocked it out of the park with this one, and my heart is swelling with joy after reading this. I will forever think of Gene and Luis and the precious love they have for one another. Baseball is forever, and so is my love for these beautifully queer characters.
My hope, along with Hoffman and so many other queer athletes, is that professional men’s sports becomes more inclusive, and with texts like this, even if it is fictional, will inspire people to make this shift happen and result in the change we so desperately need across every career in life, but especially in sports since it is such a toxic arena for straight, cisgendered men to populate. This book gives me hope looking ahead into a bright future where trans men can find their place in baseball and feel welcomed and appreciated. Here’s hoping that it will one day become true, and we can root and stand behind queer professional athletes in cisgendered male sports who are unabashedly themselves, and when that happens, we will welcome them with open arms.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders