Although I would consider this an enjoyable read with much needed and important queer representation, I felt as though there was a certain level of depth lacking from this book. The romance was sweet and well-developed, however certain topics seemed to be brushed over and perhaps over-romanticised, causing it to read as somewhat unrealistic. Having said this, I would still recommend this simply for the trans representation. Overall it is a sweet and relatively easy read, contributing to an important narrative.

A sweet story, lovely supportive parents and a nice lot of characters. Rather unbelievable, but that's no matter.

This book is perfectly charming, looking at some serious topics with all the heartfelt compassion it deserves. I thought there was great LGBT, BIPOC and Neurodiversity rep across the characters, without any reliance on toxic stereotypes. I did find the writing style a little stilted in places - often the author seemed to be forcing multiple thoughts into one sentence - but it worked to create a young voice that I think readers will really enjoy and relate to.

A very fun and very sweet novel that I thoroughly enjoyed reading and I hope this author brings out more in the future

Thanks to the publisher for sending me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is a sweet YA contemporary about a trans boy, Spencer, who starts a new high school after being bullied at his old school and joins the football team. I enjoy a good sports romance when it's well written and makes you invest in the sport being played, and this was both of those things.

Spencer is a lovely main character whose generosity, passion for football and desire to help other queer kids makes him instantly likeable. At times he makes a few poor decisions, such as lying to his parents, but we see him learn from his mistakes, apologise, and grow as a person after seeing the consequences of his actions (also, which teenager hasn't told their parents a small lie here or there? I imagine, not many).

Throughout the story, we see Spencer in the process of his transition, going to medical appointments and mentioning the changes to his body. It was lovely to see a young character have the full support of his parents for his transition and be happy and confident in the process. In general it's just lovely to see trans joy and gender euphoria in any novel.

We also see Spencer grow into someone who wants to fight for queer and trans rights, while navigating burgeoning romantic feelings. The romance is the main focus of this story (well, that and football) and it's a soft, hopeful enemies-to-friends-to-lovers romance, which I thoroughly enjoyed reading.

The love interest, Justice, comes from a very religious family and is dealing with how to reconcile his queer identity with his religion. I would have liked to see a little more in-depth discussion of this towards the end of the story, as it felt like he didn't have much discussion with his parents (or we didn't see it) before moving away from them.

There's also autism rep in the book, as Spencer's younger brother is autistic, and I can't speak to the representation, but there were times when I was worried that Spencer was positioning his brother as a difficulty in his life.

Overall, this is a lovely, uplifting story about love, sport, family, and queer communities.

Content warnings for transphobia, misgendering, past bullying and death threats, religious bigotry and homophobia from religious figures, mentions of an overdose and a previous child death.

I enjoyed this but felt it fell short on certain levels. I wanted to like it more than I did. I found the main character to be likeable and interesting, but wanted more from the story. Would maybe give it a reread and see how I feel reading it again.

What a beautiful book - I devoured this in about the space of 2 hours. It was a fun, easy read and very educational in terms of pronouns and the importance of them.
Spencer was a fantastic character, clearly dealing with a lot, but was proud of who he was. He had had a difficult time and was wary about starting a new school, but the people he met were fab. I love Riley - what a fantastic character, as well as Macintosh and Coach.

Fitzsimons has written a book with a beautiful teenage romance, a brilliant plot and important messages. Would highly recommend this. a fantastic gay romance!

What a beautiful read, I was so happy reading this, I cried a lot but most were happy tears, I love the fact this wasn’t negative but centred itself around the positives, is so full of hope. I thought Spencer was a fantastic character, as well as his family too. The story was so addictive and soooo fast paced, it deals with the issues so sensitively, I thought the writing was wonderful. Overall, this is a story that will make you smile, laugh and cry (not necessarily in that order)

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion .

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own*

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. The characters and plot were well constructed and I breezed through it. Please note that I am not an own voices reviewer and that these should be prioritised above my own opinions.

Characters
I found the voice of Spencer really easy to engage with. His characterisation was really well formulated and his backstory was weaved into the plot so incredibly well. I felt for him from page one. The relationship throughout this book was sweet and flowed nicely. It built naturally, and I didn't feel as though anything was rushed or out of place. In my view, the teenagers acted like teenagers and the adults acted like adults - YAY! I sound sarcastic, but I'm actually so relieved as I've read many books lately where that hasn't been the case.

Plot
The main plot built slowly in the background at a natural pace as well. Overall the problems felt real and engaging. I could see them coming and they raised a lot of important topics and issues within our world. It was high stakes, but also not outlandish (unfortunately, because I really wish that these situations didn't come up in real life).

Content warnings: ableism, misgendering and deadnaming (implicit), homophobia, bullying (past), transphobia, religious bigotry and propoganda, medical content, references to school shooting

I loved this queer, YA romance, it was so wholesome and easy to read.

This book talks openly about the discrimination Trans teens still experience every single day, but also looks at how they can fight against it. I thought it was funny and I really liked the characters and the way in which they developed, and their relationships grew. It's a positive and gently written book, which has a style that is easily accessible to its target YA audience. It did seem that some aspects were resolved too easily, but the positive messages in this are just too good to ignore. This book also tackles toxic masculinity and the effects it has on children, whilst covering the issue of inclusion in sport.

Although I loved this book, it's only a 3 star for me as I did feel that some of the football (soccer) aspects were too in-depth and took up a lot of page time, when the more relationship and society-driven aspects and issues could be covered more.

I absolutely adored this book. It was funny and witty and emotional and so utterly important. The writing was lovely and so smooth it made you feel like you were within the story, rooting for our boy. Absolutely gorgeous!

Following an incident at his previous school, Spencer’s plan is to go stealth in his new life and not let anyone know that he’s trans. He focuses instead on football – despite his parents’ reservations about letting him play on the boys’ team – and on his new friend and potential boyfriend, Justice. However, all of this is thrown into question when an antiquated rule forces him to decide whether or not to come out and stand up for his rights.

This is a gentle and positive book, written in a straightforward style that is accessible to younger teens. Occasionally issues seem to be resolved rather too easily without much dramatic tension, but overall there is a good balance of realistic challenges faced by the protagonist, and positive support from loving (albeit imperfect) parents and new friends. Spencer's friendship and subsequent relationship with Justice provides a lovely example of non-toxic masculinity. However, the really ground-breaking aspect is that it is a rom-com style love story with a trans protagonist, whose trans status is fully accepted by his love interest without ever being a point of conflict. Spencer is also mixed-race, which is dealt with sensitively in passing. We need more books like this!

Well this was one of the most wholesome YA books I have read in a long time. Im personally not a big fan of american fiction, or football and yet I have flown through this book. This should be in every library and every school as I think this is a manual for how to behave!

Oh my God, I love this book!! It is one of those books that I want to put in the hands of every single person! It is so well-written, with utterly realistic characters and a hold-your-heart sweet romance at its core. It talks plainly about the discrimination Trans teens still experience every single day, but also about how to fight against it. Inherently hopeful and with a beautiful ending, this book is sure to make you smile, and I honestly could not recommend it more!

"Whether you come out tomorrow or in five years, or thirty years, I guarantee that the fight will still be going on in some form or another. And I promise that when you join us, we'll welcome you with open arms."

The book follows 15-year-old Spencer as he moves to a new school where nobody knows he’s transgender.I loved the balance in this story .The romance was cute and messy at the same time.There are some great friendships throughout this book , and this proves that this story is so much more than a romance.

For a debut novel, The Passing Playbook is absolutely fantastic. There is nothing bad about it except that it ends. It features characters that every reader will be able to relate to in some capacity, some you connect so easily with, which is always lovely in a book. Yes, there are sports in it but it doesn't spoil the story or make you like or connects with the characters and their personal stories.
An absolute must-read!

I am not a sporty person at all, but for some reason I do love reading books about sports. I think I just found a new favourite!
The Passing Playbook is not only a book about sports. It touches so many other, very important subjects.
The main character, Spencer, is trans. He joins a soccer team in his new school, make new friends, falls in love, and makes a huge change. For himself and for others.
What I really liked about this book is that it shows that people can grow. That people can learn.
I loved the ending as well, so sweet and hopeful.

i did not finish this book, i found the writing a bit tedious and the concept seemed a bit overdone. it was not necessarily my cup of tea but i think others may enjoy it more than me

A fantastic debut LGBTQIA+ YA novel by Isaac Fitzsimons!

This is the first purposefully chosen LGBTQIA+ book I have decided to read this year so far. It is also the first YA book I have chosen to read this year so far. It will now be the impossibly high benchmark that I will rate lower all others that I read for the rest of the year. I said what I said!

The cover art drew me in instantly - I am a manga and graphic novel reader mainly, so I love these kinds of covers that are graphic and yet show elements of the story. These kinds of covers are always so accessible and I really felt after finishing the book that it was accurate, too. It evoked the emotional tone of the book, and so I loved it all the more!

The premise of the book was what really drew me to it - sports, romance, and LGBTQIA+ themes. Perfect!

Spencer Harris is starting at a new school. He is nervous about fitting in, finding friends, joining the soccer team, and the butterflies in his stomache when a cute guy smiles at him! He is also nervous about passing, because Spencer is Trans. Transitioning at his old school led to some extreme bullying and a move to a new school, a new start, and everything seems to be going well as long as Spencer keeps his head down and doesn't make waves. But, how long can that continue when you are ace at soccer, catching feels for your teammate, and anything but a wallflower?

I really had to look hard for anything negative to say about this novel. And my only gripe was the ending - it came too soon! I wanted to keep reading about Spencer and Justice. I want to know more about all the other characters - so If Isaac Fitzsimons wants to write a sequel - that would be great, thanks!

On to the positives - first, this is very well written with very competent use of language. The adults were suitably adult in tone with the correct smattering of lame dad jokes, the teens had the right amount of teenspeak, slang, and angsty drama! And the structure of the novel built the tension to the plot and the tension to the romance.
Second, the charcters were fantastic and their development throughout was key to the plot of this novel. However, the side and supporting characters were also just as endearing and lovable as the main characters. There was a range of diversity of charcters that felt natural and inclusive and also totally devoid of performativity (is that even a word?) that I have felt in other works pitched as LGBTQIA+ in theme.
In saying that, I also think that the setting was very realistic. The modern school setting is one I am familiar with, and the way that the students navigate this space felt very real and natural. The inclusion of queer charcters permeating throughout was also real and didn't feel forced or put upon. I felt this was more a reflection of my lived experience and appreciated it. The difficulties that the characters experienced felt very relevant to people living RIGHT NOW! The changes in laws, the role backs in rights and protections for LGBTQIA+, has been something society has been and continues to deal with, but the positivity of those in society who will, and continue to, fight for these rights was uplifting and hopeful.
Finally, I see sport, I see romance - I am here for it! I found the romance element so pleasantly surprising and loved it. I was cheering on the sidelines - yes! I want a Spencer and Justice: The college years! sequel. The other cheering came from the football (soccer!?) and it was a very important part of Spencer's character and development and it was equally as exciting to read as the romance.

I hope Isaac Fitzsimons is proud of this book. It is a stunning YA debut, and really helped me to learn more about the world and about myself through reading it. I would thoroughly recommend this book to readers of YA novels and friends who enjoy LGBTQIA+ themes in their reading. Well done, Isaac Fitzsimons!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a cute YA LGBTQIA+ contemporary book, with exactly all the elements that I needed! This book details the story of Spencer as he moves schools following an incident at his previous high school. At Oakley, he joins the soccer team (against his parents wishes) and becomes one of the most valued players - the only problem? He's trans and no one knows.

This book perfectly described the teenage ups and downs that we all go through, but more than that, it illustrated in a beautifully nuanced way the trials and tribulations of a trans teen. The discrimination and hurt they face, and the fear of coming out in fear of exacerbating these. While there were moments which I occassionally felt didn't quite fit with the mood (perhaps these were editing encouragements) which didn't add anything to the overall effect of the story, this book overall is heartwrenching and poignant. What I like most about this is that it deals with some pretty heavy and important topics - homophobia, religion, sports culture, trans rights, black trans rights to name but a few - and it opens the dialogue in a way that I can see a teenager/young adult engage with.

Another aspect of the book I really enjoyed were the characters. I find typically with YA contemporary, the characters are underdeveloped and, sometimes, quite annoying. This was certainly not the case with The Passing Playbook. Were there moments in which Spencer made some questionable choices? Sure, but the overall effect of these allow our characters to learn and its done in a crafty way.

My only criticism is that I felt that the book was rushed at the end. The ending seemed a little lacklustre, and I feel that it would have been improved with being maybe 50-75 pages longer (or even just a 10 page epilogue) to allow the story to come to its natural close. The closing scene felt out of place, and while this may have been purposeful, it didn't work in my opinion. While this didn't affect my overall enjoyment of the novel, I think it would have added a little something extra to make it one of my favourites!

If you loved Felix Ever After, this is the perfect book for you! I would highly recommend it, and as a debut novel, it blew me away!