You can use your Las Vegas-Clark County Library District card to borrow titles from these partner libraries:
3 of 3 copies available
“I completely adored it.”—Casey McQuiston, author of Red, White & Royal Blue
AN ELLE AND PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
Minor leagues. Major chemistry.
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 inspires.
This triumphant debut romance reveals what’s possible when we allow ourselves to want something enough to swing for the fences.
-
Creators
-
Publisher
-
Awards
-
Release date
April 9, 2024 -
Formats
-
OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9780593795996
- File size: 333621 KB
- Duration: 11:35:02
-
-
Languages
- English
-
Reviews
-
Starred review from February 5, 2024
Hoffman hits it out of the park with his feel-good queer frenemies-to-lovers debut. Triple-A Beaverton Beavers infielder Gene Ionescu, the first openly gay, openly trans man to play professional baseball, is envious and frustrated when his former college teammate, Luis Estrada, who’s also gay but in the closet, is traded onto the team and takes over as shortstop while Gene moves over to second baseman. Seven years earlier, Gene and Luis abruptly lost touch when Luis was called up to the majors, and a standoffish Luis, back in the minor leagues following an accident, seems uninterested in rebuilding their friendship. Then Gene walks in on Luis mid–panic attack and helps him through it. The men agree to put aside their past grievances for the sake of the team, slowly relearning how to coexist on the field and—once long-hidden mutual crushes come to light—in bed. Gene’s love for the lusciously depicted setting of Beaverton, Ore., and enthusiasm for the game are both infectious, meaning even readers with no interest in baseball will be swept away. This hopeful story of triumphant underdogs and blossoming love is a home run. Agent: Allison Hunter, Trellis Literary. (Apr.). -
Shaan Dasani gives listeners a fun listen to this contemporary queer sports romance. Former college baseball teammates Gene Ionescu and Luis Estrada are unexpectedly reunited on the Beaverton Beavers, a Triple-A minor league ball club in Oregon. While their initial friction results in discordant game performances, Dasani charts their growing chemistry during extra practices and after-hours bonding sessions with warmth, sensitivity, and plenty of spice. As the league's only openly gay transgender man, Gene faces professional hurdles his straight cisgender teammates don't. Dasani's great characterizations of teammates and friends provide emotional depth between games and during nights on the road. The local sports commentators' peppy cadences add flavor, as well. Author KT Hoffman reads his opening and closing notes. J.R.T. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine -
September 13, 2024
Gene Ionescu is the first openly trans athlete on the minor league Beaverton Beavers team. Everything is going great until his former teammate and rival, Luis Estrada, is traded to the Beavers. At first, the two can't stand each other, but as they spend more time together, sparks begin to fly. Suddenly, the possibilities seem endless, as Gene has a shot at true romantic happiness and maybe even a career beyond the minor league. Hoffman's debut is a sporty romance, but so much more. Narrator Shaan Dasani voices Gene and Luis as they grapple with their feelings for each other, the sport, and their dreams for the future. Dasani's narration is gentle, expressing true affection and tenderness as the characters find friendship followed by a happily-ever-after. The author reads his note at the end, discussing his inspiration for the story and the importance of hopeful books for queer listeners. Discussion questions are also provided at the end. VERDICT A steamy queer romance, full of heart and a love for the game.--Elyssa Everling
Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
-