**Disclaimer: I received a free early access copy of Home Field Advantage by Dahlia Adler through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this opportunity.
Home Field Advantage by Dahlia Adler is a young adult contemporary novel about a cheerleader and a high school’s first female quarterback and their undeniable attraction to each other. Of course, things aren’t quite as simplistic as that, and they get quite complicated as the story progresses. It is set to be published on June 7th, 2022. I rated it four stars on Goodreads.
Here’s the summary from Goodreads:
In this sweet and funny new f/f romance from the author of Cool for the Summer, a cheerleader and the school’s newest quarterback are playing to win, but might lose their hearts in the process.
Amber McCloud’s dream is to become cheer captain at the end of the year, but it’s an extra-tall order to be joyful and spirited when the quarterback of your team has been killed in a car accident. For both the team and the squad, watching Robbie get replaced by newcomer Jack Walsh is brutal. And when it turns out Jack is actually short for Jaclyn, all hell breaks loose.
The players refuse to be led by a girl, the cheerleaders are mad about the changes to their traditions, and the fact that Robbie’s been not only replaced but outshined by a QB who wears a sports bra has more than a few Atherton Alligators in a rage. Amber tries for some semblance of unity, but it quickly becomes clear that she’s only got a future on the squad and with her friends if she helps them take Jack down.
Just one problem: Amber and Jack are falling for each other, and if Amber can’t stand up for Jack and figure out how to get everyone to fall in line, her dream may come at the cost of her heart.
Dahlia Adler’s Home Field Advantage is a sparkling romance about fighting for what – or who – you truly want.
I had so much fun reading this book. When I started it, I was in the mood for something light and fun. I needed something that would make for a really good escape from the world and this was perfect. It wasn’t light and easy, but it was still a really compelling story.
I think the standout for this novel were the characters. I loved our two main characters: Amber and Jack. Both of the characters were really well developed. I believed in their motivations and while I didn’t always approve of their choices, I can understand why they did the things they did. Neither of them were framed in an easy way. They had flaws as well as strengths. However, I also really appreciated that they grew over the course of the novel. They didn’t stay the same the whole time and by the end of the book they became who they truly were. That’s a really special experience.
The story line was really interesting to me as well. I didn’t know what to expect from a story about a female quarterback, but it was really very interesting. I felt that the backlash she dealt with was realistic, albeit unfortunate. I enjoyed the progression of the story.
Another stand out in the story was the romance between Amber and Jack. I liked that while the attraction was quickly there, it wasn’t exactly an instant love kind of thing. Their feelings grew over the course of the story and the way that they saw each other had real nuance to it.
Overall, this is a super cute story and I highly recommend it.
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