Home Field Advantage is a YA contemporary sapphic romance. There is a twist of fake dating, but not quite in the way, one might expect. The book’s focus is on Jack and Amber, but some of the other relationships are more interesting. I found myself cheering more for Miguel and Malcolm than I did for Jack and Amber. While Jack and Amber were following the “stereotype” of quarterback and cheerleader, it felt too rushed and disjointed.

As for the way Jack is treated by the team, being a girl in a “boy’s” world, I understand that and feel it was well written. Being the first girl to play football in a high school’s history isn’t easy. There is bound to be teasing from the guys on the team and challenges to determine your suitability. Schoolmates are either going to be on your side or not. Of course, stepping into the shoes of the former star player who passed away in the spring wouldn’t be easy for anyone. Add to it that her family made enormous sacrifices for her, and Jack was not in a comfortable position.

I know that I am not the target audience for this book, as I have been out of high school for a while now. But I have experience playing high school sports and thought I would give this a try. Overall, I found this to be an okay read. The beginning is a bit slow, but the pacing picks up the further you go.

First, thank you to St. Martin’s Publishing and Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I absolutely love sports romance books and to see a sapphic sports romance? What else do I have to say except my sapphic heart really liked this book. This book was a super quick read that had me smiling and laughing almost constantly. Even though this is a romance that's funny and light-hearted there was still conflict and hard conversations involved in the book. I love the characters, amber, and jack, even though they did certain things that just pissed me off. Jack is definitely my favorite and I related to her the most. I also loved being able to see both MCs' points of view! Overall 4 out of 5 starts, I love a good QB x Cheerleaders wlw book!

This is the first Dahlia Adler book I've read but certainly won't be the last.

This was such a great read. I was hooked on the book after getting into it a little bit and I couldn't put it down. Amber and Jack had such a great relationship and I loved how they really were able to connect with each other. I was so sad that their high school community was so unwilling to push out anyone who was different and didn't fit the straight, white person mould. I didn't love that there was so much miscommunication in the book and the characters didn't even bring up certain issues, which would have solved a lot of the conflict in the novel. But the relationship and the growth that you see from all of the characters was just so great to read.

~Field Advantage Review~
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4/5
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I really loved Cool For The Summer when i read it last year, so i have high hopes for this book! I always love a queer romance!
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Pros:
+we love sapphic cheerleader football player shenanigans
+okayyyy rainbow alliance let’s go
+also the “queer girl dance” is too real
+YES BI MOTHER!!!!
+they’re so cute tbh
+honestly had a plot twist i didn’t see coming
+drama drama drama
+i love miguel
+cliche but in a fun way
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Cons:
-not a cute meet cute
-ew i hate misogyny and homophobia idk why this whole school is being this way like get over it
-lying liars that lie
-high schoolers are so dramatic and for what
-dude bros
-a bit too much of a quick happy ending out of nowhere
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obviously this one was a bit cliche but i had such a fun time reading it! i couldn’t put it down and i enjoyed the witty banter and cute moments!! def gonna keep dahlia adler on my radar for cute queer books!

Thank you St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for the eARC of Home Field Advantage by Dahlia Adler in exchange for my honest review.

This was the book I wish had existed when I was a teen. It checked all the boxes for me.

I loved the characters, the setting, and the way their stories played out had me absolutely hooked. I would recommend checking trigger warnings beforehand -- as this story deals with some difficult themes.

But I absolutely loved it, and I'll be purchasing a copy immediately. It's a story I'll likely revisit when it releases.

5/5 stars.

thank you to netgalley and st. martin's press for providing me with an arc!!

first off, this concept is actually the best i have a weak spot for cliches except they're sapphic and this delivered <3 jack and amber were genuinely SUCH likable characters (AND relatable hello when im loud like amber and always harsh with my words like jack.. not a good combo NEVER a good combo but ANYWAY), you can't help but root for them and want them to be happy!! PLUS ohmygod they're actually so cute together and realistic high schoolers like normally mentions of like pop culture make me cringe but these were just different <3 ALSO we can't forget miguel santiago miguel santiago was my everything hes so wonderful bc miguel and amber are genuinely the best friendship in the world i love them so so so much. ALSO OMG?? THE WAY AMBERS MOM WAS BI TOO??? LOOOOOVE there were just so many good things in this book that made me enjoy it SO MUCH

i just. i KNOW. i KNOW this is the norm i KNOW it's not going to change but we always have to end with them coming out don't we. that's okay i can deal. it's just :/ BUT! the way it was done was good like they did not frame it as a bad thing that they weren't out at ALL in fact this book was like chockful of reaffirmations that it's okay to not be out if you're not ready which i appreciated. and then cara's apology? do NOT accept at all. me :handshake: miguel bc i did not enjoy that experience although tbh i completely understood amber's POV im still not out to like 3 of my childhood friends so SJDHG but i would have appreciated yk a bit more development for the side characters obviously this is like a YA contemporary debut you can't have everything so that's just a little itty bitty nitpick

overall, this was a book that i loved and think a lot of sapphic athletes would enjoy <3 im not even that athletic and i had the greatest time this was such a good read and helped me procrastinate studying for my math exam <3

This is a book I had really high hopes for but it just sort of fell flat for me. It was that it was a bad book, I think a lot of people are really going to love it but I just don’t think it was for me. I’ve realized how much I don’t enjoy the “instant attraction” trope and that’s exactly what this is.

This is a super sweet, sapphic love story that features the class cheerleader-quarterback trope. Except, the twist is that the quarterback is a girl, the new girl to specific.

I expected this to be more lighthearted but enjoyed how some really sensitive topics. The book does great at balancing a love story with the characters challenges (TW: misogyny, homophobia, car accept).

The author writes really engaging, relatable characters. One of my favorites was the bisexual mom who doesn’t have challenges, just is supportive. Honestly this whole plot is so stinking cute and I will definitely be reading more from Dahlia Adler!

How lucky we are to live in a world with so many queer ya books coming out! Home Field Advantage follows Amber, a junior cheerleader who aspires to be captain next year, and how her high school reacts when they find out the football team's new quarterback is a girl, Jack Walsh. Jack struggles to be accepted by the team who treat her poorly for misogyny-related reasons.and Amber gets caught up between wanting to stand by her fellow cheerleaders, who also resent Jack, and wanting to follow the sparks flying for her with Jack. I'd really recommend this for people who like honest portrayals of more messy teenage friendships and relationships, as a lot of the characters make decisions that end up hurting other people but you can (in some cases) see where they're coming from - it reminded me in a way of Sophie Gonzales's Only Mostly Devastated. I love stories about underdogs proving themselves, so Jack's side of things and the football plot really stood out to me (I would have loved to see even more football scenes!) And I adored Miguel, another member of the football team who is Amber's fake boyfriend.

My only nitpick is that I wish it were longer! I wanted to see the relationship between Jack and Amber develop a bit more before they got together - the physical attraction was there, but I wanted to see them connect more. I also wanted to see more of Amber actually being a cheerleader. Being longer could have given more time to develop some side characters, too, since it does feel like there's a huge divide between the characters who are queer/woke in this book and the characters who are bigoted, when I wanted a bit more nuance and/or variety.

Overall, this is a fun, queer take on a classic ya trope, and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who loves the genre!

4.5/5 stars rounded up

Jock/cheerleader trope but make it queer? Yes, please! I really enjoyed this story, I loved the characters and Amber and Jack's dynamic. They were so upfront about their feelings and I loved it.

My only gripe was that Amber’s conflict with her friends and the cheer squad didn’t feel completely over. I wish there was at least one more conversation from Amber’s point of view.

Overall, this was adorable and I loved it so much please read it!

A light, easy, joyfully queer teen romance that hits all the beats and moments you'd both expect and want from a book of that description. Home Field Advantage dips ever so slightly into a darker space, with misogynistic and homophobic classmates surrounding the main characters, but mostly remains in a solidly upbeat place, as determinedly cheery as its cheerleader protagonist. A little bland, a little generic, but pleasant and uplifting nevertheless.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book revolves around two girls and their journey to make their love accepted.

I loved how each character had a well developed backstory, but I did not like how fast they fell in love with each other. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the book, it just didn’t seem relatable at first.

I loved the anti-homophobia and anti-bullying aspect of the book and how Amber stayed true to her values even though she was putting her dreams in peril.

Overall, this was a very short and cute story.

I would recommend this book for the baby queers because there is a fair amount a representation.

Such a fun, sweet read following Amber, closeted queer lesbian, and Jack, lesbian quarterback and only female player in a team struggling after the loss of their previous leader. The two quickly start up a secret romance and aren't hesitant to call each other out when needed. Their relationship is fun, and I also loved the friendship between Amber and her fake boyfriend, Miguel, who's struggling with his own secret relationship. The writing was very easy to follow and my only gripe is that the story wrapped up too quickly. The final conflict didn't start until very close to the end of the book and was skimmed over into a neat ending.

Content warnings (may be incomplete, may contain spoilers): Misogyny, homophobia (religion driven), bullying, death from drunk driving, abortion

Home Field Advantage is a queer young adult romantic contemporary novel. It follows two teens, Amber who is a cheerleader, and Jack who is the school’s new quarterback. It has a sapphic romance at the heart of the novel and balances talk of homophobia, coming out, and misogyny with romance, friendship, and sports. The book is written in both Amber and Jack’s perspectives and I never had a hard time figuring out who was talking because their voices are clear and distinct which is exactly what you want with multiple POVs.
There are a lot of fun scenes that keep this book lighthearted and the romance is sweet and realistic at the same time.
I do think the author’s handling of BIPOC characters could use some work as they often feel added in as a bonus just to have diversity. I am a person of color myself and while I do not believe poc have to earn their way into stories by having it be the main thing about them, I do wish race was mentioned of every character and not just the BIPOC ones if you’re going to mention race, Otherwise, it’s like here’s jess, here’s mary, here’s joe, here’s paola and she’s latinx, here’s sue, here’s jasmine. Feels a bit weird to me.

Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot and I think fans of queer romances will really enjoy this one, especially if they like sports! I will definitely pick up more of Dahlia Adler’s novels.

Content warnings: homophobia, misogyny, abortion, miscarriage

Home Field Advantage is a sweet, sapphic YA take on the ‘quarterback gets the girl’ trope. Switching back and forth between the perspectives of the two main characters, it was incredibly well paced and kept me on my toes, even though it still stayed within the tropes of the romance genre.

When Jack transfers to a new school to be the quarterback, it’s as if her dreams have come true. Unfortunately for her, though, the team’s last quarterback (who was a real asshole) is still being treated as a hero after he died the previous spring. Dealing with a complicated legacy to fill, sexism, and homophobia, not to mention general teen angst and high school cliques is a lot, but there is one girl who makes it worth it to Jack. Cheerleader Amber has her eyes on the new quarterback, and has made it her goal to make her feel welcomed— and might even fall in love along the way.

Adler does a brilliant job showing their burgeoning romance, the shy feeling on both sides, as well as taking care to paint a larger picture. She builds a full community in the small fictional town of Atherton, where the main characters constantly have to weigh their choices against an array of forces and public opinions. I was really impressed with the way that Adler thought through the background pieces, as most YA romance I’ve read leaves that sparse. She also gave the main characters thoughts, feelings, and opinions beyond the basic romantic plot of the book and allowed these complicated characters to come to life.

But more than just a fun, lovely read, this book feels pivotal in this moment. An alternate title to this book could have been “The Shit I Go Through to Afford College” as the pressure to maintain appearances in order to get a cheerleading scholarship to get out of her small town weighs heavily on every one of Amber’s decisions. I also appreciated the fact that this wasn’t set in some big progressive place, but is a story that a lot of folks can relate to— of just how much of ourselves we feel safe putting out there. Because queer people exist in the flyover states and south, too. It even dips into the complicated place that lack of sex education and open communication kids of religious parents are put into when drinking, dating, and pregnancy comes up and they have no one they feel comfortable talking to. I’m grateful that books like this exist, and I wish they had been available when I was younger.

Out 6/7/22, I’m excited to pick up a physical copy in less than a month!


Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review.

This was WONDERFUL! It's definitely a romance, but one that's sweet without being overly fluffy. I love Amber, I love Jack, I love Miguel, and I loved seeing the different dynamics among that group. The story hits all the right emotional notes, both the happy and the more serious. And I may not know anything about football, but that didn't stop me from being on the edge of my seat for the entirety of the last game. This is definitely going to become a new go-to sapphic rec for me!

CW: sexism, homophobia (including homophobia rooted in Christianity), past fatal car crash due to underage drunk driving, past blackmailing/threatened outing of a queer character, underage drinking, past miscarriage and discussion of potential abortion

What a fun read. When I saw that this book was inspired by that infamous photo of the cheerleader doing the female football player's hair, I knew I needed to read it.
I absolutely loved Jack and though I didn't go though what she did, I felt connected to her. She was easy to root for and I truly enjoyed her story. Jack followed her dream to play football even though it was at a new school 4+ hours away from home, on a team who didn't want her, and a school that shunned her. Her perseverance is something to aspire to.
Amber was wonderful too. I think her having a bi mom helped her feel comfortable at home, even when she couldn't be open at school or with her friends. Even though she was in the wrong one point in the book, her actions to redeem herself were amazing and I'm glad she was able to be true to herself.
While I didn't love Cara, I understand the need for that character and I liked her little twist in the story. I think the secondary characters, whether they be the cheer squad, football players, parents, or Jack's friends from home, were integral to the story. I also really enjoyed Amber's best friend Miguel and his storyline.

It's been a while since I've devoured a book in a day and a half but this one got me. It isn't anything overly complicated, which does make for a quick and enjoyable read.

I am so excited that the publishing world is seeing more LGBTQIA+ YA books. Especially because the readers who are the target audience for these novels are way more open and explorative of sexuality. One thing I really appreciated in this book was the fact that two of our main characters are in hierarchy groups that have been notoriously homophobic.

Speaking of characters, Jack and Amber were super fun. Their banter was cute and I found myself smiling throughout most of the book. Even the side characters were fairly well developed.

I also thought that Adler did a nice job highlighting how important we believe things are in high school, and how they really aren't all that important in the grand scheme of things. But when you're this age (16-18), a lot of who you are is defined by your place on a team or if you were homecoming queen. I appreciated that Adler essentially said "It's okay to want these things, but don't let them dictate who you are and the choices you make. Especially if those choices hurt other people."

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for providing me with an ARC of Home Field Advantage.

This book was an utter delight! I read a lot of LGBTQ romance, but most of it involves M/M pairings. I don't read nearly enough Sapphic fiction or romance but everything is going to change as of today. Dahlia Adler wrote something that was poignant, funny, relatable, and so real. As a bi woman, there was so much in this story that I was able to relate to and I find that's so important for me when I'm reading. If I can't connect with what I'm reading, or what the characters are experiencing, I find that those kinds of books don't resonate well with me.

But this book did not have that problem.

Home Field Advantage follows Amber, a cheerleader who is gunning for cheer captain and a scholarship to get her out of Atherton. But several things hinder her process: her best friend and her Pastor daddy, trying to show her squad she is the leader they need; and... being a queer girl who has no attraction to cis boys. When Amber meets Jaclyn Walsh - preferably known as Jack (let's not get it wrong) - she needs to determine what's more important: friendship, love and her relationships, or getting a scholarship and becoming a cheer captain to some (not all), not-so-nice girls.

Jack faces her own challenges. Having moved to Atherton solely to play football, she faces resistance in the role by trying to fill the shows of the dead quarterback, Robbie. Oh. And she's a girl. Between missing friends, being shunned as an outcast, and feeling guilty over splitting her family apart, Jack isn't sure how she's going to cope with everything. But she tries to focus on football... and on her own personal cheering section.

Jack and Amber were great together. There were times where I wanted to shake Amber. I honestly remember screaming at my Kindle at one point. But despite making some bad decisions, Amber knew that she was in the wrong and she was quick to make up for it.

Jack was such a standout character. She lives her life unapologetically and the end of the book, when she could really come into her own, was so important. Amber's faux-beau, Miguel, was also a great character and I was so happy for him at the end of the story.

Basically: read this book. It was one of my most anticipated titles of the year and it did not disappoint!

Really enjoyed this fun, and real, look into a few months of a high school not too far from my location! Main characters are easily liked and relatable. Loved the side characters struggles and issues and the various settings throughout. Felt that, as a football fan, the games were also a highlight and exhilarating to read! Thank you for another win, Dahlia Adler!