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“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.
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Creators
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Awards
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Release date
April 9, 2024 -
Formats
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Kindle Book
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9780593596876
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EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9780593596876
- File size: 7414 KB
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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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.). -
Starred review from February 1, 2024
DEBUT Queer joy and a healthy dash of hope infuse nearly every page of Hoffman's home-run debut novel. Trans minor-league baseball player Gene Ionescu is happy playing for the Beaverton Beavers, but his world is upended when his former college teammate Luis Estrada gets traded to his team. Luis and Gene have a tense history, but they also quickly discover that they have chemistry both on and off the field. As the Beavers' season progresses, Gene begins to hope not only that the team can make the playoffs but also that he might find love--and maybe even get called up to the Majors. Hoffman's characters experience some transphobia, but the novel relentlessly centers Gene's dreams and wins and features nuanced depictions of trans and gay athletes, along with mental health issues in professional sports. A dugout full of entertaining teammates rounds out this sweet and slightly steamy romance. VERDICT The plot follows the tried-and-true sports romance formula that will please fans, while the love story and the tenacious, hopeful hero at its center will give readers the warm fuzzies.--Jenny Kobiela-Mondor
Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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