A cute quick read. I do feel there was a good amount of instalove at play here as I didn’t quite get the chemistry between Amber and Jack, but I did enjoy their story. I wish we got a bit more in the ending as it seemed a bit too clean and there was a lot left open ended in both story arcs. Perhaps an epilogue would’ve helped.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of Home Field Advantage in exchange for an honest review.

Guys, the sporty sapphics truly are winning at YA right now. I never thought I'd ever enjoy a sports book but thanks to the plethora of awesome queer ones that came out this year, I'm OBSESSED. Who knew the secret to making me finally get invested in a quarterback-head cheer leader couple was to make them gay women? Read it read it read it read it read it.

The star quarterback and the girl set to become the next head cheerleader. This would seem like the typical set-up except for a couple of things.

One: The star quarterback is a girl. The cheerleader isn’t out and is dating her friend who is also on the football team (and also gay and not out). Oh, and everyone idolizes the former quarterback who died and isn’t as great as most of the town is trying to remember him as.

Coming out tale with a [spoiler] happy ending. Will recommend to fans of Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda and Julian Winters.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this advanced copy in exchange for a review.

Oh. My. God. When I received the email I had gotten this book I ran to my kindle and read the whole book within 5 hours. It was amazing and by far one of my favourite LGBT+ books i've ever read. I loved the way Jack and Amber were written as a couple and their story being a wlw take on the cheerleader and quarterback stereotypical relationship. Although I do see some flaws in Ambers character how she had been so self focused in regards to her coming out impacting her future with those around her, she failed to see how it was damaging the ones closest to her and it was really hard to get over those toxic moments once her redemption time had come around. The ending and how she tried to make it up to Jack was very sweet but I wish there was more shown of how she was making it up to Miguel as he was a crucial part of her story and one of the ones struggling the most because of how she went about situations.

Overall, I loved this book even with the slight things that bothered me and i am 100% recommending it to anyone looking for a wlw young adult romance because it is very adorable.

Adler flips the cliche of every teen movie QB1 and cheerleader on its head by making it a sapphic duo with chemistry that's palpable from their first interaction. Its not instanta lovey but there is definitely an instant chemistry which is built on well throughout the beginning then kind of goes off the rails in the middle but ending will leave your heart fluttering and feeling satisfied t's also dual pov which is definitely needed a lot more in YA contemporaries, the only downfall of it in this case is the character motivations. Jack is a character you can root for from the get go, but it was a little harder to connect with Amber in parts. The writing style was a little basic and lacking voice in parts but it's a fast paced read that flies by.

I've read several books by Dahlia Adler at this point and they are always enjoyable and I have a good time with them. She writes fun characters you want to root for, and this comes up again in her new book Home Field Advantage.

It perfectly combines both sports with romance. A sapphic YA romance between a cheerleader and the new quarterback who happens to be a girl? Yes please! This was a fun twist on the typical cheerleader/football player romance. While there are a lot of cute moments between Amber and Jack, there are also some more serious issues they have to tackle together. I loved both main characters despite one of them frustrating me at times and some of the side characters too. I loved the dynamics between the characters and the football element in the book.


Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a copy of Home Field Advantage by Dahlia Adler in exchange for my honest review.

Home Field Advantage is a stunning book that, aside from depicting a blossoming sapphic romance, challenges gender stereotypes and normalized homophobia in the sports industry.

This book challenged gender stereotypes in the form of Jaclyn Walsh, better known as Jack, a woman who is passionate about football, which is not exactly seen as a female-dominated sport. While sports as a whole is a male-dominated industry, football is one of the most male-dominated ones. There is a severe lack of female representation in football teams, and it was no surprise that this was the origin to Jack's issues in feeling ostracized and shamed among her peers. Jack's experience as a quarterback in an all-male's football team was remarkably depicted, and the fact that it was painful to read at times only speaks to how well it was written.

Throughout the book's events, Jack is forced to endure constant sexism — not just from the men, but also from the women, who despised the idea of a female quarterback. Almost the entire school wanted Jack to know that she wasn't welcome in the football team, and it was terrifying to imagine going through something like that in real life. Reading about Jack's story made me reflect on how prevalent both internal and external misogyny is in the world, especially when it is rooted in gender stereotypes. I wasn't expecting to reflect about misogyny when picking up a romance book, but I am thankful for that experience all the same.

Aside from the misogyny Jack encountered, this book also delved into normalized homophobia in the sports industry. Both Jack and Amber, as well as their friends, are forced to stay in the closet because they aspire to reach their respective goals. They are very much aware that being out as a queer person will do nothing good if they want to succeed in the sports industry, and I cannot stress this enough when I say that this was depicted so well in the book. Even through the littlest things they did, I could feel the fear of the main characters radiating off the book. Their knowledge that if they were seen once, it could ruin everything they had worked so hard for. The stress all of the queer characters in this book went through was so heart-wrenching, and it only made me root for them even more.

I deducted a 0.5 star from my rating because I found the narration to be fairly lacking. While it efficiently captured Jack and Amber's contrasting personalities, I felt that it could still be improved in some parts, perhaps in helping readers to understand the various settings that the characters are in. At times, it was difficult to feel immersed in the book when we were given few descriptions on the areas the main characters visited. Other than that, I have no further critiques for this book.

This book truly felt like something that belonged in the YA literary world today, and it particularly shone in its ability to execute relevant and realistic problems. There was something so poignant in the thought that what the characters endured in this book were realities that queer people, as well as people who dare to strike out against the gender norms, face nearly every single day in their lives. I'm confident that readers of all kinds will get something out of this book, and leave them reflecting on the way the world, and they themselves, treat those who are categorized in the minority.

Amber really wants to be cheer captain next year, but when Jaclyn, Jack, shows up as the new football quarterback for the team she tries to welcome Jack when no one else does. Jack has it tough because no one acknowledges how well she plays, and she replaced the former beloved quarterback who died. Amber knows Jack deserves a chance, but she wants to be careful she’s not too friendly because she really wants to be captain. When Amber decides she will pick up Jack for the traditional Midnight Breakfast she realizes she has feelings for Jack. Is the queer girl dance happening? No one at school knows except for Miguel. After some things happen, Jack doesn’t think Amber has her back. Amber is torn between what she’s worked hard for and having a real relationship. Jack tells Amber that she needs to be honest with people you supposedly care about. Will Amber show her true feelings for Jack?

What a great book! I loved the main characters and appropriately disliked the mean kids. This is a fun, heartwarming story of LGBTQ+ kids trying to find their way and be themselves in a town and on teams that don't make that easy. The modern take on the quarterback and cheerleader falling in love will be a welcome addition to library shelves. I know my students are going to love it!

Home Field Advantage was a charming teen romance that seamlessly handled a collection of big topics.

Amber, the typical cheerleader who is hiding her sexual orientation because she knows her best friend would not be supportive, and Jack (female), who has been recruited to play on the football team at Amber's school after the tragic death of the quarterback left an opening on the team. Jack is not welcomed by the team or the cheerleaders mostly because she is female but under the guise that the team is coping with losing their friend.
Amber and Jack are meant to be displayed as complete opposites in interests and personalities, but the story does really portray them as the same. Both are shown to be extremely dedicated to their sport and the two sports treated as equal. We are mostly shown how much the two girls have in common, which despite the romance being a little insta-love (they're teenagers, I get it), the romance does work.

While the romance story is about both of them with dual POV, Jack already knows who she is and what she wants. The story is really about Amber coming into her own and standing up for what she believes in.

As I said this story does handle a number of big topics, as such there are trigger warnings, spoiler free, there is grief after the death of a teenager and bullying.
I do think everything was handled very well in this book, one of the best part being how both the leads had extremely supportive family members.

This was SO freaking delightful - a new favorite sapphic YA for sure. Adler's characters are SO real, and as usual I love the varieties of representation she has in the cast beyond just the main couple.

This was a great book! I loved all of the character's personalities and viewpoints. And the author did a great job showing how the characters perceived others and how they were perceived in turn.
There was a perfect balance between the highs and lows for the characters. The frustration of being in the closet versus the start of a new romance.
I also liked how the author kept the story realistic without becoming graphic. I was concerned at times that things could go really bad but thankfully the author kept it stressful without being brutal.
It is a good middle school read.

I loved this!

Homefield Advantage is a sapphic version of the football star/cheerleader trope. It was such a fun, enjoyable read! I really enjoyed both the main characters.

If you are looking for a fun quick read, I’d definitely recommend this YA romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing me with an eARC in exchange for a honest review.

I want to puke this book was so wholesome and queer. For a contemporary YA romance it definitely addressed some very difficult topics and captured that feeling of handsy first love. The premise was fun and while the plot was predictable it was still really enjoyable. I loved the character of Jack. She was unapologetically herself. This is a perfect book if you’re looking for a sticky sweet sapphic read.

Also worth mentioning- bisexual mom rep. That’s never a thing and I LOVED IT

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

This is just sooooo freakin sweet. Such a fun read and an absolutely adorable romance, with just the right amount of commentary on issues like misogyny and homophobia. So so enjoyable! Thank you for sending this my way!

Amber McCloud's dream of being captain of the cheerleading squad is almost within reach. She's just got to show her leadership potential this year, but this becomes more difficult than anticipated when the new quarterback of the football team is revealed. Jack Walsh has a killer arm and is light years better than Atherton High School's last quarterback, Robbie, who passed away in a drunk driving accident last year. Jack is short for Jaclyn though, and a good amount of the team and the squad have issues with their recently-deceased leader being outshined by a girl. Amber is determined to preserve the squad's unity, but things get complicated when she and Jack start to hit it off. In the end, is it possible for everyone to get what they want, or is someone going to get burned?

I knew this book was good when I started feeling righteous anger on behalf of the characters :). Dahlia Adler does an excellent job of displaying the complex range of emotions related to Amber and Jack's situation, and she doesn't shy away at all from delving into how terrible people can be to a girl who dares to be a little different. Adler was very realistic about the cruelty a female quarterback would face, and I think the fact that she didn't gloss over it added a level of complexity to the novel. The story was wonderful and heartwarming, and Miguel absolutely stole my heart! I highly recommend this book to fans of young adult romance!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesday Books for gifting me an e-galley of this novel in exchange for an honest review!

"I'm suitable to be a cheerleader's girlfriend now?"
She winks, "Well ,you are the quarterback."

I heard one person brag about how amazing this book was on Booktok and then I was set on my quest to get approved for my own copy. And then there it was in my inbox, ready for me to read all of it in less than six hours. (give or take) And now this is going to have to be ranked in one of my top ten reads of the year.

There always has been something so special about high school sweethearts, especially when its forbidden love, and especially especially when it's queer. It really is just a cute story about a girl who loves a girl and that's all they need. As someone who is in high school I do have a tendency to be rather critical when it comes to describing not only the teenage experience but also mannerisms, slang, and interactions. Needless to say Adler obviously has been to high school. She crafts this beautiful high school world that is just the same as all other. She added the ruthlessness of teenage girls and I cackled out loud when she wrote the only out queer kids were the ones that titled themselves theatre kids. (As one, I can say she is not wrong on any account. Something I really enjoyed was her use of technology. Most adult authors when writing about phones and social media make me cringe because it all just feels unnatural and awkward. I really think, especially in a world so many of us know such as high school, it is so important to create an immersive world that you are always brought back into.

The plot line as a whole was once again so real! (thank you Dahlia Adler for being such an amazing high school expert) There is something so real about being terrified to come out. Not because you're unsure or that you just don't want to come out. It's more of making it public could determine your future, especially in a southern state. And the solidarity of queer kids was just chef's kiss. Am I ranting about the setting and teenage experience again? Yes, yes I am.

And finally, the romance!! <3 Jack and Amber are the sweetest, REALEST couple I think I've ever seen. I am team J-A-C-K all the W-A-Y! And on top of that how healthy of a relationship they have. If there is anything really romantic it's all fade to black. And there is something so great about the representation of a healthy queer couple after so many mainstream interpretations of queer relationships are just constant sex. It was nice to have the ups and downs of any relationship; the dates, the fights, the forehead kisses. I'm here for all of it.

I think I love this book as much as I love Counting Down With You. Way to go Dahlia Adler for just giving me one more to go onto the favorites shelf.

It’s a tale as old as time: the quarterback and the cheerleader. But this time, it’s sapphic. And it’s glorious.

I loved everything about this. Full of complex, messy relationships paired with flawed protagonists, there is never a dull moment. Of course, there’s also the romance between Amber and Jack, which is swoon-worthy and just so adorable. Their dynamic and way their personalities just seemed to bounce off one another flawlessly was really well done.

The side characters are also great. Miguel’s complicated situation with his coming out and past experience with blackmail was moving and made him quite interesting to read about. Amber’s conflicting feelings towards her cheer friends were developed and explored in such a satisfying way as well.

The real showstopper for me was the third act. It is stellar. Everything has been built up so well over the course of the book and when it all starts falling apart and exploding, it’s amazing. The tension, the drama,the angst- it’s all next level. I’ve read a lot of YA contemporaries, and this has one of the most satisfying endings of them all.

This doesn’t come out until June of next year, but it’s already one of my favourites. Sports gays for the win!

Sport romance between a cheerleader and quarterback and most of all it's SAPPHIC??!! This book had everything I could possibly hope for and it was amazing! Amber and Jack so sooooooo cute. Overall this was an adorably cheesy little rom-com, and I loved every minute of it.


A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press & Wednesday Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Amber McCloud is a closeted high school junior, whose dream is to become the next cheer captain, a promotion desperately needed to boost college applications. Turns out, having spirit can be hard following the death of their football quarterback, especially when you have a team and squad who are more than unhappy to see Robbie replaced by newcomer Jack Walsh. The name is short for Jaclyn and the Atherton Alligators are not ready to be outshined by a girl. Amber thinks the perfect way to prove she's leader material would be creating unity, but it quickly becomes clear no one is on the same page as her. As Amber and Jack begin to fall for one another, Amber is forced to decide what is most important, fighting for what you want or fighting for who you want when both is out of the question. "Home Field Advantage" deals with themes including misogyny, homophobia and bullying.

I really enjoyed the story, despite having annoyances with some of the characters at times. That said, I understood the reasoning behind their thoughts and actions even if I didn't agree with them because teenagers don't always make rational choices. If I look back on my secondary school experience, I know this to be true for me. This makes "Home Field Advantage" feel realistic, but that doesn't mean I didn't cringe over the odd part (a common trait of mine that occurs when reading YA romcoms). I mean, I think it's questionable to want to remain friends with your narrow-minded bestie who would not accept you; maybe that's just me.

It was also compelling to see a story celebrating being queer and accepted by ones family even if not out publicly. Rooting for Jack, Amber, Miguel as individuals and within their respective relationships came easily as the narrative arcs were well fleshed. If longer, I actually think the main pairing could've benefited from a slow burn. I loved the light flirting between Amber and Jack at the beginning, and for once, wanted to see them develop at a slower pace. They have strong communication off the bat which I commend, but I also prefer

The cover is adorable and you should definitely judge the book by it. "Home Field Advantage" is a wonderful example of a classic trope with a sapphic spin and owning your identity with lots of pep. It was full of multidimensional characters, has a solid plot and a heartwarming resolution.