I’ve been putting off writing this review because I don’t know how to put into words how much I loved this book. The Passing Playbook is a new favourite but, unfortunately for this review, has fallen into the ‘I love this too much to talk about it coherently’ category. However, I’ll do my best to do this stunning book justice.

The Passing Playbook is joyful and comforting and absolutely brimming with love. From Spencer’s relationship to his parents, his friends, Justice and himself, there is never a moment where love doesn’t shine through the pages of this book. This is undoubtedly a book written for LGBTQ+ teenagers above anyone else and reading it felt like a warm hug.

The synopsis of this book makes it sound as if it’s going to be a lot more activism focused as Spencer has to fight for his right to play and although this element is definitely present, it comes secondary to the characters and romance. The main focus of The Passing Playbook is not a revolutionary outcry for trans rights, rather it’s a romance – heartwarming in its simple sweetness and, really, just as revolutionary as Spencer’s fight for the right to play. I adored Spencer and Justice together; they had great chemistry and were honestly just a joy to read about.

I am a sucker for sports team dynamics in books and The Passing Playbook gave me everything I wanted (read: found family vibes). All of the team members are so lovely and supportive and I loved reading about how Spencer fit in with them and his relationships both with the team as a whole and with individuals. The coach was an unexpected favourite character and I really loved seeing everything he did to support Spencer and his teammates. I won’t pretend I understand football or, indeed, exactly what was happening in the games in the books but it had such a fun energy to it and it was clear that Spencer was in his element whenever he played.

I also really admired the narrative surrounding coming out in this novel. Spencer decides to go stealth when starting at his new school following previous transphobia and I appreciated the narrative and thought processes surrounding this decision and the value placed on his own safety and comfort above all. Even as he grapples with coming out in order to play and the idea that his visibility could help other trans people, there is still no pressure or idea that he has to come out.

The Passing Playbook is brimming with trans joy and love and all of the warm, squishy, comforting feelings you could ever want, while also exploring coming out and the importance of your own safety even as it conflicts with what you want. This book is a new favourite of mine and a must read for all contemporary lovers!

THanks netgalley for gifting me an E.Arc of this book.

Fifteen-year-old Spencer Harris is a proud nerd, an awesome big brother, and a Messi-in-training. He's also transgender. After transitioning at his old school leads to a year of bullying, Spencer gets a fresh start at Oakley, the most liberal private school in Ohio.
At Oakley, Spencer seems to have it all: more accepting classmates, a decent shot at a starting position on the boy's soccer team, great new friends, and maybe even something more than friendship with one of his teammates. The problem is, no one at Oakley knows Spencer is trans - he's passing.
So when a discriminatory law forces Spencer's coach to bench him after he discovers the 'F' on Spencer's birth certificate, Spencer has to make a choice: cheer his team on from the sidelines or publicly fight for his right to play, even if it means coming out to everyone - including the guy he's falling for.

I would class this book as a holiday read. Its a quick easy read and has a great storyline., It's very YA and maybe even younger preteen,. It's a cute uplifting read, I must admit reading it I kept expecting the worst to happen and was happy that the worse didn't happen. It's a great book to read as it doesn't adhere to the kill the queers' trope. I love the representation in this book. We need more stories like this! I would have loved to have this book to read when I was a teenager. It gives me hope for future generations that they will see themselves represented in the media that they consume.

The Passing Playbook is a YA contemporary about a transgender boy called Spencer who switches schools after being bullied by his former classmates and gets a fresh start at Oakley, the most liberal private school in Ohio. With new friends, a Queer Student Association and a shot at playing for the boy’s soccer team, things seem to finally look up for Spencer - even if nobody knows that he’s trans because he’s passing. But when he’s being kept from playing soccer, he has to decide between fighting for his spot on the team or coming out to everyone - including the guy he’s crushing on.


This kind of YA contemporary is my favorite to read: it’s cute and heartwarming but also tackles so many important themes such as discrimination against trans athletes, bullying, transphobia (also microaggressions from other LGBTQIAP+ students), being biracial , ableism (Spencer’s brother is autistic), bullying and religion. The Passing Playbook never sugarcoats any of these topics but still manages to have a hopeful tone and celebrates being queer/trans.


I loved how it explored Spencer’s relationships with his family, his friends and also him falling in love. His parents are supportive but they’re also worried about him and a big part of the story is that they won’t let him play for the boy’s soccer team and that they think he should join a co-ed team instead. They care about him but end up hurting him themselves by this. I also really like how it explored his new friendships and the students at this supposedly very liberal high school - how there are still microaggressions that Spencer and his new friend who’s non-binary have to deal with.


And then we’ve got a romance that’s just so adorable and lovely and I really like how their relationship developed. It felt realistic for their age (Spencer is 15) and just really warmed my heart.


I really enjoyed The Passing Playbook and highly recommend checking it out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin UK for providing an eARC!

Always happy to read trans content - the book did feel a bit rushed for my taste but lovely characters!

After his safety is threatened due to being transgender, fifteen-year-old Spencer switches to a liberal private school and decides to spend his remaining years passing in the hope of being left alone. However, after joining the football (soccer) team, his new position is threatened by the ‘F’ on his birth certificate, meaning Spencer has to decide whether he should publicly come out and fight for his rights and for the rights of trans students like himself across the state or stay quiet. I loved how the author emphasised that staying quiet didn’t show a lack of courage but rather the awareness that one’s own emotional and physical safety is always paramount.
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Alongside this dilemma is Spencer’s burgeoning romance with his Christian teammate who comes from a super religious family. Justice’s character arc was beautifully nuanced and I loved how Coach protected him as best he could. I also appreciated how supportive the entirety of the football team was and Macintosh was probably my favourite character as he was just so kind and understanding.

As a cisgender person, it’s hard to truly appreciate how dangerous life can be for someone who is transgender but this book did a great job showing this to the reader. The importance of queer spaces for safe exploration and validation of one’s experience was another highlight of the book. For these reasons, I think THE PASSING PLAYBOOK would be an ideal addition to every school library.

The level of talent it takes to write a debut this good is astonishing and I can’t wait to read whatever the author writes next. If you’re looking for an LGBTQIA+ sports romance with some thought-provoking issues then definitely check this one out.

This hit way too close to home and yet it felt like comfort to my soul
I'm so happy I got to read this because it's so relatable and well, quite emotional to get through and that's just what I needed.

I think that the more people who are out and visible, the safer it is for everyone. BUT, and this is a big but, you need to make sure that you're safe first. Physically safe, yes but also emotionally and psychologically

This book follows transgender main character, Spencer Harris. He transfers from his old school to a new one in Oakley because in his previous school he got hated on for being transgender. He walks into this new school with doubt in his mind because, he doesn't want to be outed and two, he wants to really fit in with the other boys. He meets religious Justice Cortes and he knows then that he's doomed. Why? He is certainly having a crush on Justice and worse, Justice might be homophobic.

Now when you look at this, it's so easy to see why Spencer would be afraid. Even I get sceptical when I meet Christians on GR because most of them turn out to be very bigoted.
I'm Christian so of course, there will be others who dont show hatred because of sexuality or gender. As a matter of fact, I've met really friendly ones on here but I've also met the bad ones as well. It's very easy to be afraid if you're in Spencer's shoes.

I love how the whole thing played out at the end. It was quite redeeming for me.

The plot is very easy to follow and the pacing is just right! I love the beginning, middle and the end. I dont know if this sounds biased but I'm so in love with this book.

The characters were everything!! The representation was obviously own voices as it was accurate.
Rep: biracial black trans mc, gay li, nonbinary school, autistic sibling, bisexual sc and so on...
I loved how it wasn't a big deal when Spencer came out, i loved the support he received and everything was so wholesome.

I loved the religious aspect as well. Growing up gay in a homophobic atmosphere especially one caused by religion is hard. It's so easy to see how much Justice had suffered because I could relate so much to it.
I remember the bit where he mentioned that he and his family went to the park and left his brother, Steadfast, somewhere and they were looking for him. When they eventually found him, they were happy. However, the next day his brother gave his life to Christ which means, he answered the altar call for salvation. When Justice asked him why, he stated that when he didn't find them in the park, he thought rapture had happened and he'd been left behind and to be honest, I cried.
I cried so much because I'd been in that situation before, I'd thought i was going to hell and it was so sad for me. So when that part came up, i closed the book and sobbed.
Justice's upbringing played an important role in this book and I was glad because we need to show how hard it is to grow up in a religious homophobic household. It ain't easy at all!!

I loved every single bit, I love and I love and I love it!!!!

I enjoyed this book way too much and I want to give it all the stars in the world. Unfortunately, we have just five so...FIVE STARS IT IS!

I adored this book.

Isaac wrote a young voice that seemed authentic (but I'm not trans so I don't know for sure how well represented this was.) Things I was glad about - he know he was a man, there was no angst over this just a surety that he was born the wrong sex and a need to be the person he actually is. There is some reference to his transition, but it is light and similarly when we are focused on the relationship, it didn't sexualise his partial transition.

There is a whole host of other representation in this book and that is also fantastic. What we also have represented are those that are not as accepting. I understand that they still exist, unfortunately, and I was glad that this wasn't the main focus of the story.

Whilst his attraction to Justice was one of the main themes, another huge part of the story was his love of football and how playing this also formed a huge part of his identity. There were also other parts of just normal teen life, making out with your boyfriend and your parents catching you, the awkward conversations that no kid wants re sex, solid friends who have your back and making new ones.

After the last book I read felt like a chore to read, this one was a delight. Long may we get love stories all across the rainbow that ourselves and our kids can enjoy.

The Passing Playbook is a book with beautiful writing that made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. It is the story of a young trans teen, Spencer who has moved to a new school where no one knows he is trans. After an incident in P.E., he is invited to join the school's soccer team and that is where the story begins.

The book felt like a whole rollercoaster of emotions; I was constantly smiling, laughing and getting emotional all the way through. Spencer is such a great character to read from the viewpoint of and his struggles (especially as a trans teen) were captured so well.; I love his sense of humor and I love stories that make me feel that way and it's why The Passing Playbook is going to become a favorite read of mine. I'm also a complete sucker for stories that have the found family trope; it's one of the best tropes ever and this book had it and does it so well. And the romance, oh it was beautiful. Spencer and Justice were a wonderfully cute couple and have my whole heart.

The Passing Playbook is a story that I highly recommend; it's beautiful and it's got everything you could ever want.

I was really excited for this book so I’m sad to say it ended up being a disappointment.

I will start off with the positives. This book had a strong start. It was fast-paced and I liked the writing style. I really liked Spencer’s character at first and it’s always good to see some well-written trans characters in books.

That said I had some significant problems with this book. Firstly the portrayal of Spencer’s autistic brother. I wouldn’t normally refer to him like that but that’s all he was to the narrative: Spencer’s autistic brother. He felt like a prop, used first as something for Spencer to feel guilty about (a plot point that never really got resolved) and then to make Spencer look like a good person for loving him. He was also a flat character; the only things I could tell you about him are that he’s autistic, he likes animals and he has an ipad he takes everywhere. If he had more character development and relevance in the narrative he could have been good representation but as an autistic reader I’d rather he wasn’t included than be portrayed like this. It wouldn’t make any difference to the overall story if he was left out entirely.

My next issue is something of a sensitive subject: religious bigotry, abuse and victim-blaming. If you haven’t grown up surrounded by religious bigotry and with abusive and controlling parents you may not understand the issue I have here. As someone with personal experience with these things I was very uncomfortable with the way Justice’s family was portrayed and Spencer’s reaction to them. Justice comes from a conservative family who are part of a cult-like right-wing Church. His father is emotionally abusive and controlling. Spencer breaks up with Justice for not standing up to his abusers for their homophobic bigotry and is depicted as in the right.

Thousands of queer people are subjected to conversion therapy, abuse and even exorcisms by abusive family members for coming out. Justice is a 15/16 year old kid. Expecting him to stand up to his family and Church is victim-blaming and the narrative shows little empathy to the situation Justice, and many very real queer young people, find themselves in.

In addition to these things there were some amateur writing mistakes in this book that became more and more grating to me as it went on. I may have been able to ignore these issues if it weren’t for the other issues I had with the book.

I’m sorry to say that I found this book to be a disappointment. I won’t tell anybody not to read it if they’re still interested but it gets a no from me.

I really enjoyed this book. It was extremely easy to read and had a good plot. Was it a bit under developed in places? Yes. For one, the ending felt very rushed and I would have liked a bit more development of the main romance. However, I can accept that's not really the main focus of the story and I look forward to seeing what the author writes next!

Thanks to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

The Passing Playbook is a lot of love & care packed into one little book.It’s very clearly a book for LGBT youth, and especially for trans kids. A book showing them with every page that they are loved and deserve every ounce of that love.

Plot-wise it’s not a complicated book. But a book’s worth is not measured with its outline, rather - with the emotions it evokes in the reader. And The Passing Playbook understands that very well. It knows which strings to pull on to make the reader smile or cry.

And the one it pulls the hardest is the string of love. That is in abundance in The Passing Playbook. Spencer’s parents’ love for him, Spencer’s love for his brother, Spencer’s teammates’ love for him, his love for his crush… Every possible shade of the emotion, with all its highs and lows.

There are so many little things in this book that I absolutely love. Our main character, Spencer, is a trans guy. After being bullied for being trans at his old school, he moves to a new school where he goes stealth (doesn't disclose his trans identity). 

Spencer is such a great character, and on his first day at the QSA (Queer Straight Alliance) he uses his passing privilege to stand guard outside the men's bathroom so that another trans student, Riley, can use the bathroom without having to worry about any cis guys coming in. 

Theo, Spencer's younger brother, is autistic. I adore the relationship between them, Spencer genuinely cares about his little brother and that's such a great thing to see, especially when I've read so many books where the autistic sibling is treated like a burden. Theo is definitely not a burden, and despite the age difference, Spencer seems to really enjoy spending time with Theo. 

I had mixed feelings about Spencer's parents throughout the story, at times they seemed so wonderful and supportive, but at other times it was almost like they didn't really see Spencer as a boy. Luckily, by the end of the book, it is extremely clear how much they love and support both of their sons, and it's lovely to see. 

The relationship between Spencer and Justice was built really well, it started out a little bit rocky but became something beautiful. It wouldn't be a high school romance without some kind of drama, but it all ends well. The love interest comes from a very religious family who are homophobic, transphobic, etc. and this definitely has an impact on the relationship. I felt really bad for Justice, especially with some of the stuff he had to listen to from his family and people at his church - and that was before they even knew he was gay. 

There are some great friendships throughout this book, Spencer has a best friend named Aiden who he met at a trans camp. Aiden is a pretty cool guy who helps Spencer through some stuff. He's also in a band called The Testostertones, which is the coolest band name ever in my opinion. There's also Riley, who Spencer meets at his school's QSA. Riley is a sweet kid and Spencer repeatedly sticks up for them and quickly befriends them. Spencer's football teammates quickly accept him on to the team and acknowledge how valuable he is as a player. Their friendships build throughout the book and it is incredible to see Spencer bonding with the team, especially as this is something he's wanted for a long time. 

Football is really important to Spencer. He's been playing for most of his life, and now he's finally playing on the boy's team at his school, as he should be. That is, until he's benched because the law says he can't play on a boy's team while there's an F on his birth certificate. As he's not out as trans at his new school, Spencer has a big decision to make - come out and risk losing his friends, or stay benched and miss out on the chance to do what he loves. 

Overall, this book is incredibly heartwarming and the social commentary is spot on. There are some extremely powerful and moving scenes throughout and I can say with certainty that I love this book and will happily read whatever Isaac Fitzsimons writes next.

🌿BOOK REVIEW🌿

The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons

After transitioning at his old school that led to bullying, Spencer is hoping to have afresh start at his new liberal private school. Not only is he a massive nerd, he is also a talented football player and is determined to join the male football team- much to his parents concern. Through football he gets to know one of his teammates, Justice, who comes from a highly religious family.

The author creates such a realistic teenage protagonist who is experiencing the everyday troubles of family life and school. They also discuss autism and the pressures it can place on a family. On top of this, Fitzsimons also explores transitioning, passing, transphobia and embracing your true self.

TW// transphobia, homophobia, bullying, religious bigotry, dead naming, drug use

The Passing Playbook is a story told through the eyes of are protagonists Spencer, who is is transitioning. It discusses many of the obstacles trans people might face in high school.

Spencer's parents are very supportive of his transitioning but the have made the dission to chance his school because of bullying. The new school claims to be the "most liberal, private school in the county". But despite this Spencer decides to go 'stealth' he believes "I just feel like the fewer people know, the better".

However Spencer is a star soccer player and joins the boys team but a discriminatory law forces Spencer to be benched because his birth certificate has an 'F' on it. Which means he has some big life changing discussions to make, stay stealth' and have great friends but no soccer or come out but risk his friendships.

It also touches on autism, with Spencer brother Theo being on the spectrum which h was a nice touch.
Another element to the story is Spencer falling for one of the guys in his team Justice. The problem is that he comes from a super religious family. This is another coming out story line that adds a added element to this story.

All round this is a great coming of age Y/A book, that is undereprsentive in the genre.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

There’s something a little bit Heartstopper about this cute YA debut novel - it’s obviously not a graphic novel and it’s not the queer romance storyline, but there’s definitely a similar wholesome vibe about it.
Fifteen year old Spencer is starting a new high school after being bullied and threatened at his last school whilst he transitioned. He’s keen to join the football team, and he’s a popular player; but then his coach discovers the gender on his birth certificate, and Spencer has some choices to make.

This book was so easy to read and tackles some difficult topics well. The only issue was the fact that everything kind of goes a little bit too smoothly - and I think it would have better served to show teen readers in similar situations how to deal with people who aren’t as accepting as the characters in this book. The characters who weren’t were super religious and in reality, that’s not the entire truth of where in the world we are right now. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it and would recommend!

A sweet and simple story of a Black trans boy joining the football team and falling for his uber-religious teammate. At times the writing felt kinda juvenile, more like middle-grade? Maybe because despite the 3rd person narration, the parents were always referred to as Mom and Dad which seemed weird. But this was a touching story with a lot of heart.

ARC copy received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I like this story and it’s a bit surprising that this is the debut of the author. The language is humorous yet somewhat blue, that kind of teenager melancholy. I really enjoyed it.

Spencer Harris, a trans boy, was transferred to a new high school named Oakley after being bullied due to his transition. He bumped into Justice Cortes the first day at Oakley, and I’d say it’s love at the first sight! Justice turned to also be the vice captain of the football team to which Spencer became a member, but it seems that Justice doesn’t really like Spencer a lot. Spencer really likes football, but the fact of him being trans may create problems for him to participate in the games he would like so much to play….

Not my usual read but very interesting. I was taken in by the reference to Friday night lights which I absolutely loved. Didn't quite hit the highs of that show for me but I did still enjoy the storyline.
Tackles very current and important issues and would consider it a 'must read' for the YA audience!
Many thanks to netgalley for the opportunity to read and review!

DRC provided by Penguin Random House Children’s UK via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Representation: Black queer trans protagonist, Black autistic secondary character, Black secondary character, trans non-binary secondary character, gay secondary character, bi secondary character, trans tertiary character, Black tertiary characters, queer tertiary characters.

Content Warning: anxiety, homophobia, transphobia, drug abuse mention, mention of overdose-related death, misgendering.

The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons is an amazing contemporary novel about first love, feeling part of something, speaking up and this is unusual for me because I hate the sport and the toxic environment it generates and supports soccer.

After changing school because of the transphobic abuse he suffered following his coming out, Spencer is reluctant to share this part of himself again at his new private school. His passion for soccer and a sweet love interest are going to change that.

I loved the book and all the emotions and cuteness it contained. One of my favourite scenes was when Spencer and Justice rode on the same bicycle. I love all scenes where two people are riding the same two-wheeled vehicle, and one is “forced” to hold on to the other, because of the closeness and the feeling of safeness it creates, which always reminds me of the blossoming of one of the seeds of queerness in me.

To say I am not a fan of soccer is to say the least. I hate the sport with all my heart because of its intrinsic toxic masculinity and homophobia. That is probably one of the reasons which made me love the book so much as it showed what a soccer team should be more like, and frankly what soccer should be more like. An environment of support for every member of the team.

One scene I did not entirely like which has not in any way impacted my love for this incredible novel was the one where a girl in the Queer-Straight Alliance said that it was not necessary to fight for a gender-neutral bathroom because it would only benefit trans students and in that moment there was only one out student basically dismissing the existence of other trans students. At that point, Spencer came out to the group to make them understand they were showing their privilege and ignorance and fighting for a gender-neutral bathroom was good because it would help both current and future students of the school. I felt as if Spencer was somewhat forced to come out in that situation because the circumstances required him to, whereas in the other scenes in which he came out, he seemed more in control. Thinking more deeply about it though, I understand that Spencer, at that point, decided that speaking up was the right thing to do.

Another aspect of the book I thought was quite brilliant was the use of the word passing. The term has connotations in both the trans community and soccer. And while in soccer its meaning is a simple one, in the trans community the word has a double-edged effect.

The Passing Playbook was not a reading experience I will forget easily.

PS: Thank you Isaac for making me want to watch a ridiculous horror movie which does not exist.

‘“But seriously,though. I think that the more people who are out and visible, the safer it is for everyone. BUT, and this is a big but, you need to make sure that you’re safe first. Physically safe, yes, but also emotionally and psychologically. 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.”’

*4.5 stars out of 5*

Wow, just wow. This is probably one of the best debut novels i’ve read in a long time.

This was such a fun book and I absolutely flew through it even though I didn’t want it to end. Although it is written relatively simply, it is evident the care that Fitzsimons has put into every character, their development and the overall message. In this book Fitzsimons has an amazing way of conveying important topics into a simple format that is accessible for younger readers without losing any of the meaning or overall message. I especially loved how difficult topics were addressed through dialogue between the characters as it came across so naturally.

In terms of the characters, the representation was so amazing and I especially loved the inclusion of an autistic side character through the MC’s younger brother. Although mainly focusing on Spencer and Justice, all the side characters were fully formed, well crafted characters with their own struggles so I felt just as close to them as the main characters. There are characters who are at different stages of coming to terms with and defining their sexuality or gender identity which I believe offers so many opportunities for relatability for readers who are also on this journey.

In addition, I really feel like I learned something from this book and was given a new perspective on LGBTQIA+ issues, especially those that transgender individuals may face. I feel that LGBTQIA+ books often focus on the individual coming to terms with their own identity and fighting for acceptance but in this book the main character is initially perceived to be cisgender and questions whether he is denying his identity by not coming out. This is not a theme I have ever encountered in fiction before so I particularly enjoyed seeing this represented and educating myself on it. In my opinion, the discourse about never feeling forced to come out or outing another individual is one of the most important messages in this book and I love that it was included.

The only reason this wasn’t a 5 star read for me is that I have no knowledge of soccer and its rules so I did find myself losing focus when the dialogue drifted into discussion of gameplay and tactics. However, this is purely a personal opinion and I do not think this should put anyone off reading it. I highly recommend this book and wish it came into my life when I was in my teens.