Ok fiiiiine, this was cute or whatever

A little too much football talk at the end there, but most all’s forgiven.

Obviously the favorite here is Jack and I loved so much getting to follow her, even it was a little tough to read at times. To see her get her happy ending was absolutely everything and I loved the way the author went about it.

Amber on the other hand…ok, I warmed up to her a bit at the end there, but in defending Jack, I was totally ready to throw hands!

Overall, this was quite the enjoyable read, which I totally expected it would be given how much I loved Dahlia’s previous book! Also, the audio for this one?? MUAH, I loved


*3.5 stars!

4.5/5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley for the review copy!

This was such a cute queer romance. As a teenager I always wanted something like this to read, where the cheerleader falls in love with another girl, so I’m eternally grateful that books like these are being published for younger generations.

Before I get into my review, just as a note—there is rampant misogyny and homophobic themes in this book. It’s part of the story, but it might be upsetting to some readers (I found it hard at times to read)—so just be aware of that!

I think my favourite part about this book are how dynamic and three dimensional the characters are—they don’t just feel like archetypes to me. Every main character and a few side characters went through a pretty big character arc in this novel, and it was so nice to see. It wasn’t just your typical YA romance, either—the storyline focused a lot on friendships and trust and how friendships can grow and change (and sometimes end) in high school. Kids are just starting to figure out and stick with their morals at that age and I thought this book touched on these subjects nicely.

Overall it was cute and at some points hard-hitting, and I will definitely be purchasing a copy for our library’s shelves!

Dahlia Adler can do no wrong in my book! She writes the most interesting funny and believable characters that make my queer Jewish heart feel seen and represented. I am obsessed with Home Field Advantage!

I was enjoying this book for the most part, but in the end I couldn't get over the fact that a kid died and the book quite literally said that he deserved it. Even though he was homophobic and a douchebag, no one deserves that. It felt insensitive and a little unrealistic to me since a death like that normally impacts a small community immensely. That's why, after it just became too much for me at 1/3 throughout the book, I decided to DNF.

Okay, so this was a goodish book. Like, I love the premise and I love how realistically homophobia has been portrayed and so have misogynistic views, but the romance wasn't very well portrayed. Let's get into more detail!

Plot:
The plot was awesome. A girl playing football among boys who do not accept her? Um that's the realism I want! I enjoyed the plot a lot, as I mentioned- the portrayal of homophobia and misogyny was amazing. Like, the author kept romance as the main focus of the book, but I feel that had that been the main focus of the book, the book would have been better.
Also, the book felt a little like instalove. That irked me off, honestly- like I just couldn't feel the chemistry between Jack and Amber developing all that well.

Characters:
I loved all the characters individually, but as I said, Amber and Jack's romance was a little jerky. I did enjoy Miguel and Malcolm together, and I also loved Miguel and Amber's platonic chemistry!
Also, I am so happy to see a polysexual MC! Most people make both the main characters gay in a gay romance, but I was happy to see a polysexual MC!

Writing Style:
This was really good as well, and it was fun to read. I loved most of the scenes- not all of them were very smooth, but they were not all bad.

I would recommend the book to those looking for a fun, quick romance read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I absolutely loved Adler’s Cool for the Summer, so I was excited to read another one of her books.
Home Field Advantage follows Jack and Amber, who both get their own chapters. Amber is a cheerleader in a small town. She has hopes to become captain next year when she’s a senior. Enter Jack, and she transfers in to be the school's new quarterback. Now as if the fact that she’s a girl isn’t going to make things hard enough, the last quarterback died and their fellow students practically worship his memory.
So, obviously, the cheerleader and the quarterback get romantically involved. But Amber’s not out, so there are lots of complications. I liked the characters because they were real. They made mistakes and didn’t always consider possible consequences, but they make amends and they do their best to be better in the future. The friendships were easy to root for. I love small queer friend groups that turn into found family.
I’m not super into sports, so that was lost on me. Though I do want to mention that Jack’s love for the game really showed through. She uprooted half her family and changed everything for this thing that she loves. Adler did a great job showing the reader that passion.
If you like sports romance, this book is for you. If you like sapphic books, this book is for you. If you like both of those things, then you should definitely add this one to your list.

Home Field Advantage follows cheerleader Amber, who along with the rest of the school is surprised when the new quarterback Jack is actually a girl. The school is not queer friendly and they definitely aren’t for a girl joining the team. Amber has to decide whether to stay in the closet or be open about her feelings for Jack and risk her spot on the squad. This was a quick read with high school love and drama throughout and does include misogyny and homophobia.

awesome book!! im glad i received the opportunity to read this! the writing style was wonderful and easy to get through, and it was interesting, i literally couldn’t put down my phone once i’d started! thank you to books forward for giving me the opportunity to read this :)

In my quest to read as many queer books as possible over the month of June, Home Field Advantage was one of the first ones I picked up, and not just because it came out before I had a chance to read it. (My NetGalley shelf is ... not doing well.) I kind of figured, going into it, that any book based on that iconic image of a cheerleader putting up a quarterback's hair would be a good one.

Adler is a phenomenal writer for teens. With a lot of YA novels these days, I feel like the way the kids talk is artificial and forced, but this was absolutely not the case here. Jack and Amber's personalities bleed through the page, and they just feel so real to me!

For anyone looking for a small town sapphic romance, Home Field Advantage is a fantastic option! I'm positively enamored.

4 stars

Wow, I enjoyed this more than I expected. Jack was my favorite POV. She deserved a happy ending more than anyone. Amber did piss me off she made some decisions. I understood but she also had people in her corner to help her. The ending was super cute.

Home Field Advantage is a story about staying true to yourself in the face of societal expectations. In spite of being one of their best quarterbacks ever, Jack is not greeted with a warm welcome by the team once they realize Jack is short for Jaclyn.

Amber, cheer captain hopeful, plans to do her part to encourage both the football team and cheer squad to accept Jack in an attempt to gain the favor she needs to become captain. As the two begin working together to help themselves reach their respective dreams, they also find themselves falling for one another. Unfortunately for Amber, it seems she must chose between her dream and her heart.

This is a great YA romance for anyone, particularly young adults, trying to navigate a world that doesn't accept them. Covering difficult topics like sexuality, gender norms, bullying, and grief, Home Field Advantage is exactly the type of story we need more of.

Dahlia Adler scores a remarkable, heartfelt, and complicated touchdown with Home Field Advantage. I found it compulsory, addictive, and required reading as the conversation continues around who is and is not allowed to compete in sports—specifically in Southern states such as my own. I found the banter, character growth, and chemistry between the characters combustible and refreshing. 10/10

This was the perfect YA romance that was loving and inclusive while also showcasing real life issues that so many lgbt youth consider and struggle with in their everyday life. The sweet relationship between Amber and Jack keeps you wanting more and more with each page. This was the sweetest standalone you could ask for

*3.5 stars*

this was a really fun and sweet read! it definitely reminded me of a. rom-com and seeing this on screen would make it x10 better. The late-night breakfast dinners, bowling nights and double dates (mlm and wlw solidarity !) were honestly just perfect.

(full rtc on goodreads, @cozy-chai-corner / ash)

A quarterback-and-cheerleader sapphic story containing the right amount of romance and sports challenging world-views and making you love messy, complicated queer teenagers all the same.

Dahlia Adler can do no wrong. (this may be a slight exaggeration, but you know what I mean!) I really enjoyed this book, especially the delightful sapphic twist on the quarterback-cheerleader trope! Highly recommended!

I am still attempting to gather my thoughts on this read. There were lots to learn and read about in this one. I enjoyed that this wasn't too long and drawn out. It was right to the point and the drama.

I loved that Amber didn't have it all figured out. she was still trying to determine where she wanted to identify -figuring out who you are is traumatic and scary.

The fact that Jack except Amber was unique and refreshing. The story of a town of horrible people is not new and wasn't new in this story. some of the scenes were expected just based on the content

a GREAT quick read with drama and a satisfying ending

Amber really wants to be the next captain of the cheerleader squad, however, it is not as easy as it seems. The former quarterback of their team died in an accident and is replaced by a total stranger. And not everyone is welcoming towards the new and female quarterback. To top it all, there is love in the air!

I’m always amazed when authors manage to mix serious themes in light-hearted novels, and so did Adler with “Home Field Advantage”. Her latest book is indeed a sweet and funny f/f romance novel but also mixed with the following issues: racism, homophobia and misogyny.

“Home Field Advantage” is taking a refreshing stance at the romance trope, where we have a cheerleader falling in love with the quarterback of the team. And I absolutely loved how the relationship of our two characters evolved.

The book is written in a dual P.O.V and as always I find this to be the best thing while reading a romance novel because you can see what the characters think and feel towards each other.

The reason why I “only” gave it a 4-star rating is because (personally) I felt like something was missing. I loved the friendship, I enjoyed the romance, but I kind of wished to get more out of the story.

Overall, “Home Field Advantage” is a light-hearted and educating read that you can enjoy with a great cup of tea in the evening. I can recommend this book if you want to evade real life stress just for a few hours. I promise that even though serious topics are addressed, you’re still going to smile a lot while reading this book.

Characters

The characters in this book were fantastic. I loved reading about them because they were all just so sweet, and they all cared about each other. Every character came from a different family situation, but as football players and cheerleaders, some of the characters were found family. I loved how the characters would fight for each other, even if that meant going against what their team wanted.

Plot

The plot of this story was fantastic and heartwarming. The story followed Jack, a girl who played football, and after the death of the quarterback, she is sent to a new high school to be the new quarterback. Amber is a cheerleader who wants to be cheer captain next year. While this might become the classic story of the football player and cheerleader dating, Jack and Amber read differently. Jack and Amber are both queer girls who are looking for love, but they’re also looking for acceptance both on and off the field. The plot was one of my favorite things about the book, and I was cheering for Jack and Amber with every moment.

Writing

Home Field Advantage was written in a way that made you feel for the characters. The lighter scenes had a fun tone, and you could tell that the characters and the author were having fun during these scenes. Home Field Advantage also has some heavy scenes, and these were treated with a serious tone, making you feel for the characters in those moments.

Romance

The romance in Home Field Advantage was so sweet. While they spent most of the novel with Jack and Amber hanging out in groups, or with their teams, they also had some sweet romance scenes. These were some of my favorite scenes and moments in the novel because you could tell how much they cared about each other.

Enjoyment/Recommended for

This is one of my favorite books of the year, and I enjoyed it so much. Between the characters, story, and romance, they all worked to tell a story that I didn’t want to end. I recommend this book to anyone who likes stories like this and enjoys a story with queer characters going on a journey, and coming out stronger in the end.

I loved Home Field Advantage! I wasn’t too sure how much I was going to enjoy this but I’m so happy I have it a chance. This book even made me a tad bit emotional at the end. I can’t wait to see what Dahlia Adler writes next.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.