I adore YA books with a sport theme or dynamic and this novel is a new favourite! The Passing Playbook is the story of Spencer, a trans boy who loves to play soccer. In this novel, Spencer has to decide whether he's willing to reveal his identity and fight for his right to play on the soccer team.
The Passing Playbook is an empowering story full of trans joy. There's an abundance of supportive relationships within this novel which were so beautiful to read. The author has also put an emphasis on Spencer's decision not to reveal himself as trans after moving schools and how this is a decision based on the importance of safety and emotional well-being and not a lack of courage or pride.
Every character is brilliantly written, with side characters facing their own struggles alongside Spencer. The Passing Playbook is an incredible debut that I highly recommend!

A wonderfully sweet YA story about Spencer a trans teen trying to find his way in a new private school. He joins the football team, develops a crush on a teammate and joins the QSA but isn't out as transgender after a mysterious but definitely awful episode at his old school. Perhaps it's a teeny bit trite in places and the issues are resolved surprisingly easily but it was also a breath of fresh air to read read a trans story that wasn't absolutely full of trauma. A warm, big-hearted, story of trans masculine experience written with a deft touch that doesn't discount prejudice or discrimination but chooses not to centre it to the exclusion of all else.

Such a cute and fun book fitting perfectly with the ongoing soccer championship going on in Europe right now. I understand nothing about soccer but reading about it is not as bad as having to watch in every single television around the country.

Spencer is a passing trans boy starting a new school who wants to join the boy's soccer team even if his parents don't think it's a good idea. Spencer wants to have little to no problems fitting at school, get new friends and play the game he loves. His plans, though, are not as easy as he thought they were and maybe coming out would help the already very accepting school, being even more supportive of their queer students.

Spencer also meets a super cute teammate and they bond kicking ball. Apparently kicking balls is a very bonding experience. Both of the boys are adorable and sweet. Yes, not everything is as easy as one expects young love to be, but it was cute and both of them got me smiling a lot.

I really loved this book and how little drama there truly was. Nothing unnecessary. It surprised me. I was always waiting for something bad to happen. And then it didn't and I loved it even more. Highly recommended.

🚨 TW/CW: transphobia (mentions), homophobia, outing, bullying (mentions)
⭐️ Rep: mlm, trans and BIPOC MC

How would I describe this book? A tentative romance between a trans athlete and a conservative-Christian raised teammate which culminates in a celebration of queer joy ❤️ oh, and I read this in ONE DAY. I could not stop reading once I had started- the character development is well written, combined with a fast plot that never lingers or has unnecessary parts. As a soccer aficionado, I also loved the sports element tying the relationships between the MC and themselves, as well as their love interest, together. Guaranteed to leave you smiling wistfully after you’ve read the final page.

Thank you @penguinteen and @pridebooktours for a #gifted ebook copy!

Waaaaah. Yet another queer YA book that's left me all smitten. I want to see the Netflix film of so many of these stories lately, especially this one. Can we have more trans teens on our screens, please?

I really loved Spencer and his family. They're all captured in a genuine way - each operating with the best intentions even if they don't always get it right. There was so much relatable family stress and joy woven throughout this story.

I also really loved the soccer team too. How different personalities shone through and they were collectively essential to Spencer's story.

The reason this is only four stars is that I would have liked both the love interest, Justice, and the best friend, Aiden(?), to have had their characters definitely a tiny bit more. I finished the story feeling like I didn't really know or connect with these characters as well as I should have. They both still felt a little two dimensional to me, unlike the rest of the key characters.

Otherwise, such a lovely story that left me feeling all hopeful about the future.

Fifteen-year-old Spencer Harris is a proud nerd, awesome big brother, and a Messi-in-training. He's also transgender.
At his fresh start at liberal private school, he seems to have it all: more accepting classmates, a decent shot at a starting position on the boy's soccer team, and maybe something more than friendship with one of his teammates.
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 on his team 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.

Oh this book was cute. Cuter than cute. Adorable. I love diving back into contemporary YA when I feel like I need a break from the real world and The Passing Playbook was everything I wanted and more. I was totally rooting for Spencer from the very first page and loved how determined and brave he was in every aspect of his life.
It's a quick read (maybe a tiny bit rushed at times), but what stood out for me were the amazing characters. It was so refreshing to see a sports coach who was kind and loving to all his players, as well as parents who were always trying their best to support and protect Spencer. I also absolutely loved all the other boys on Spencer’s soccer team, especially king-of-my-heart Macintosh.

The plot moved along at a great pace, the characters were likeable and believable, and overall this was a super sweet book that left me with a smile on my face. This gave me similar vibes to Only Mostly Devastated and Check, Please so if you enjoyed them then you should definitely check this one out too.

I recieved an eARC of this book from NetGalley in return for my honest review.

4.5 🌟

Okay, first of all this book is a blessing because it got me out of one of the baddest reading slumps of my life. Thank you, Isaac Fitzsimons, you are my saviour.

Now, onto my actual review. I loved this book. I am a big fan of spokon animes and mangas and this is a spokon in book form, so of course I had to read it. The thing about spokon is that usually there is a queer subtext, but it is never explicitly stated that the characters are queer. The Passing Playbook, on the other hand, is unapologetically queer and I am totally here for it! I loved the rep, even if I can't speak for it, as I am not a trans guy.
My favourite thing about this book has to be the characters. Even if it's a short and quick book (maybe a little rushed at times), I fell in love with its main characters, but also the side ones. My heart belongs to Riley and Macintosh, but I love them all. I loved the fact that the adults were not all negative figures, especially the soccer coach. I know sports are not always the most inclusive environment, but it was nice to see a caring and loving coach for once. And supportive parents, trying their best even if they sometimes mess up.
The only reason why I didn't give this book a full 5 stars is a pet peeve of mine, so it is not the book's fault. I cannot stand books where one of the main characters has uber religious parents and Justice's parents felt like they belonged in a cult. It really triggers me, even if I know it's the reality of a lot of queer youth. I mean, who the heck calls their children Justice, Steadfast, etc. It gave me the creeps.
Overall, it's a really well done contemporary, nicely mixing sports, friendships and romance. It is very quick to read (I read it in one sitting), the style is super engaging and the inclusivity is very nice. I love that even if it tackles some important issues, it has a positive undertone throughout. I would highly recommend this to fans of Fence, Check, Please, Haikyuu and any spokon manga really.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the e-ARC, I hope to read more by this author very soon and pick up a physical copy for my LGBT+ shelf!

“Denying someone a basic human right is another way to dehumanize them.”
•
This is the perfect read for Pride month and for any other time of the year. If you liked All for the Game series you’ll probably love The Passing Playbook. Spencer is a boy, he has always known it, but his body doesn’t reflect it because when he was born, he was a girl. He has a very supportive family, who understands and tries to help him, but life can be though for him and not everyone is so open and supportive. Especially Justice’s family, which is very Christian and very conservative. But Justice is different, even if he has grown up with parents that don’t approve gay or transgender people, he cannot deny the fact that he likes boys and that Spencer is just the right person for him, despite all the difficulties. And their understanding reaches its top when they play soccer together. And for Spencer this is very hard, because he is not supposed to play in a boy’s team, how could he keep up?! But when you really want something and when you practice and believe in yourself you can do whatever you want, make your dreams come true, change the world. This is a book about acceptance and about knowing yourself. Spencer is not only trans but he is also black with an autistic brother. Nonetheless Spencer’s life is beautiful and full of love and nobody should judge his choices and the way he wants to live!

The story and book has just been a total joy to read that also touches on some very important topics!
following our main character spencer Harris who has arrived at a fresh new school after a traumatic and horrible bullying experiences at his old school because Spencer is a Transgender Teenager, So for Spencer this is a Fresh clean slate to try and he has made a promise to himself that he’s gonna be try and get through as swiftly as he can the school year and to make sure that he keeps that he is Trans a secret!

But as the school year is moving along and Spencer has been making friends, and even scoring a spot on the Football team which is something that is so important to Spencer as it’s such a passion for him! A revelation gets dropped on Spencer By his coach who by law has to get Spencer’s Birth certificate (which is gendered as female) and for Spencer to play he has to make a difficult choice... to tell everyone and come out but Spencer doesn’t want past events to replay themselves over again..or to not be able to play for the school team and be benched ??

I will for sure be finishing this book tonight!and this is going to be a 4-4.5 stars!

Trigger Warnings: Transgender Killings, Transphobia
A sweet adorable forbidden romance between a trans boy and his Christian absolutely under the closet teammate.

Spencer has just shifted to a new private school after a traumatic event at his old school when he came out as trans - even though we don’t get the whole details, but what we do get sounds absolutely horrendous and Spencer had not only my sympathies but also my support for it.

Spencer loves football; so when he is given the chance to try out for the football team of his school; he does so behind his parent’s back.

A side note: I adored Spencer’s parents - they were doing the best they could with what was thrown at them and I loved how absolutely supportive they were of Spencer.

Justice, on the other hand comes from a religious family and the only way he could get out of homeschooling was through the scholarship to play football at this private school!

Justice is not out as gay to his family; and it takes a while for Spencer to out himself as trans, and that’s only because of what happened at his previous school.

Wonderfully amazing secondary characters who are some of the best cheerleaders Spencer and Justice could have had.

Spencer and Justice were adorable together - and I am in love with their relationship - a little angst, some drama and whole lot of adorableness!

The Passing Playbook is the wholesome coming of age YA romance that deals with some serious issues (see: trigger warnings!) with the brevity they deserved.

With a sweet romance on the backdrop of high school, soccer and first loves, THE PASSING PLAYBOOK is a big heart of a book about how acts of courage — both small and large — can be so empowering. Fitzsimons explores complicated relationships and family dynamics that many trans and queer kids experience with care. While this book doesn’t shy away from heavy topics and hard conversations, it’ll leave readers feeling both loved and hopeful.

Words cannot express how much I adored this book!! Definitely one of my new favorites!! This was so cute, so well written and just so heart-warming that it touched me on so many levels.

But let's start by saying that I'm so happy that I got the chance to read this queer romance between our trans hero, Spencer and his new teammate, Justice. The problem is that our hero had to change schools and move out after things went wrong at his old school regarding the fact that he was a transgender. Now he's not ready to be out at this new school and as he's developing feelings for Justice, he's not certain on how to handle it, as Justice is from a very religious family. On top of that there's an issue regarding his love to play soccer and the fact that his birth certificate won't allow him to do that, unless he comes out.

This is a book that you really want to read. It speaks with respect about many tough topics and handles everything with care. It was very inclusive as it had non binary characters, bisexuals, gay, poc and even a character with autism.

The relationships were everything in this book, as I really loved the family bond, the friendships and of course the romance. The secondary characters were also amazing and a joy to read. I don't know, but I would truly love to see these characters again in the future, in the form of a sequel or maybe a sneaky cameo in another book?

Definitely recommend it if you love to read YA LGBTQ+ books or even if you haven't read one yet, this is a really good start.

Let me start of by saying I have never not once had an interest in football, I have never understood the enjoyment of it, honestly if it was on the telly I would rather watch anything but it but THIS BOOK for some reason I don't know why but I ended up liking it a bit...Like at least the talking tactics and game plans. I don't know why I needed to include that in my review because just..It was unexpected!

A trans boy falling in love with a christian from a strict christian family? I mean what could go wrong? I was ready for the angst. This is really a lovely story about falling in love for the first time, first dates and first kisses, I really enjoyed this so much that I read it in an evening, stayed up till just after midnight to get it read because I really couldn't put it down, the writing style was nice, the characters were all interesting, Spencer was likeable and I was rooting for him the whole way through the book. I loved all the side characters too [The nice ones of course] they were supportive of Spencer and Justice even if they didn't constantly show it, there was no toxic masculinity on this football team that was for sure!!

Also hell yes to the LOTR mention, anything but HP is good but since I am a LOTR fan forever that was just the best thing.

The only thing I can complain about really is it mentions Spencer's past a few times and I wish it would have gone more into it, would have told us more about it to give us a better understanding on what happened in his old school, I know maybe it wasn't exactly important to the current story but idk I felt like it was just brushed over. And there were other parts that things were mentioned like the number 10 football number but it was never explained further, maybe I am just being picky though.

All in all this was a really good book with some hard hitting moments, but I smiled more than I frowned and it was a joy to read Spencer and Justice's story!

Thank you to Penguin and Netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review!!!

oh this was wonderful. I loved literally everything about this book. the writing style felt like a warm hug and it was exactly what I needed🥺 I normally don't really enjoy sports novels, but this was so good, I was so invested. I loved that this was about a trans person but that there wasn't a lot of transphobia. I mean, there was a small storyline about it, but it was not major. OH and the autism rep was done really well🥺. Spencer has a little brother who is autistic. in books you see very often that the autistic characters are basically just a bunch of stereotypes mixed together. but this was not that. as a autistic person myself, I was really happy to see how this was done.

More of this, please!! Queer sports books are my kryptonite, and this was a particularly good one. It reminded me of Julian Winters' books with how soft it was, and I so loved reading a YA contemporary with a trans MC that wasn't centered around transphobia, or at least not mainly. I think this is one of those books I'll enjoy even more on a reread, but this was already really great! Special shoutout to the way the autistic brother was written, because authors tend to rely heavily on stereotypes and write harmful rep, but this was done really well!

A delightful read and some much needed trans rep from a trans author! We love to see it! Own voices is so important and this was such a good book I cannot wait to see what Isaac Fitzsimons has up his sleeve for the future. I didn't really enjoy the football plot because sport isn't really my thing but the rest of the book had me hooked.

This book was okay. It was a sweet story and I appreciated the representation that was featured however I felt that the story was simple and obvious. I enjoyed the characters, in particular Theo and Daniel. Overall the book was good, the story was well developed and there was a important message implemented throughout.

I didn’t care a lot about this book and I’m v sad about it. I am always on the lookout for a lgbtq+ book that can give me the same feels Simon vs did, but I end up disappointed every time.

I really liked following Spencer around. Reading from his perspective gave me a lot to think about. The trans rep was my favorite thing about this book, I can see it comes from a personal place. I can’t find anywhere if this is an ownvoices book, but nevertheless, I feel like Spencer was a very realistic character with very realistic struggles.

Unfortunately, that’s the only positive thing I can say about this book. For the most part I was neutral towards everything, I never connected with the story. I’m pretty sure the main issue was the writing style. You can tell this is a debut from how sentences are constructed. Once I realized that every sentence was a subject-verb-object/complement of choice, I could not unsee it. With the overall tone, the book read so immature I couldn’t get past it.

Plotwise, there’s not that much going on from my perspective. I was really bored throughout. Lately I’m struggling to find new YA contemporaries to love because they are all so similar, and this one is no exception. Apart from the trans rep it had nothing new to add.
Also, it doesn’t help that the synopsis spoils a pretty big chunk of the book. I spent 60% of the book waiting for the thing in the synopsis to happen, and I can see how that hindered my enjoyment.

Well, at least I tried? I wasn’t liking this one from the very beginning but I pushed through the same. I thought I would get attached to the characters or something, but that didn’t go as planned.
Honestly, I can see why people would love this book, so take this review with a pinch of salt. I’m probably just too old for it lol 🥲

i loved this book!!
It tackles so many import issues in such an easy to read way!! the plot was addictive and the character were so much fun to read, not to mention the adorable relationship!

it was great to read a book with a trans queer poc as the main character! as well as featuring a queer relationship and having autism representation too
it gave an amazing insight into the transphobia in sports!!
i would highly recommend this book to everyone who wants to read a quick and easy diverse contemporary that will leave you feeling good at the end

Wow. What a way to enter the YA book game!
The Passing Playbook is the debut novel of Isaac Fitzsimons and I for one will be looking forward to what else they come up with, because this was fantastic.

A story about acceptance of yourself and others, while not being afraid to fight for things you can change. Spencer Harris is a black, transgender teen who just wants to fly under the radar, until he gets pulled into back into the game he loves so much; soccer. But will his team and the league accept a transgender player?

The premise for this story is an all to real scenario and the way it was handled with care and detail was something we need to see more of. I loved the characters and the representation in this book is plentiful! Spencer is a great MC, who is not perfect and that’s okay! He feels like a totally real person and that made him all the more endearing. While I wish we got to learn abit more about Justice, I did love the background for his character as it added a really interesting layer to an already great storyline.

I am delighted I got to start pride month off with this one and i hope others will too.