Quick Stats
Age Rating: 14/15+
Over All: 4.25 stars
Plot: 3.5/5
Characters: 5/5
Setting: 4/5
Writing: 4/5

Special thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an eARC of this book! All thoughts and opinions reflected in this review are my own.

This was freaking adorable. I’m a sucker for a sports romance. I’m a sucker for a dual POV. Everything about this book had me hooked before I’d even picked it up—and it was just as good as I had hoped.
Let’s just run through every amazing thing about this book:
* sporty cheerleader x QB romance
* sapphic
* dual POV
* girls in sports! Girls in FOOTBALL!
* amazing flirtation & banter
* nicknames!!
* lesbian & polysexual MCs
* and honestly so so much more.

Home Field Advantage is told from alternative POVs. Amber is a closeted queer cheerleader whose one goal is to get cheer captain next year. Jack has moved into town to replace the previous quarterback after he died in a drunk driving accident.
Both characters’ voices were strong, unique, and engaging. I read an ARC of this book, so the formatting of the switching between POVs was not always clear, but even when I missed that it told me the narration switched, the change in voice made it obvious within the first few sentences.
I liked that both girls knew they were queer and had experience in being in wlw relationships. I think a lot of coming of age and coming out books focus on discovering your sexuality—which is great and so so important, but I enjoyed reading about two girls who fully knew their sexuality beforehand.
Watching Jack’s relationship with her family grow, evolve, and mend was an aspect of the book that I really loved and wish I got to see a little bit more of. At times, her POV felt a bit less developed than Amber’s. She had story lines of her family and friends back home and the bullying she faced that were touched on a bit, but never fully felt fleshed out to me. Her POV focused mainly on Amber, with a fair amount of focus on the team and her interactions with them—though, really, I could have used a litter more of those interactions as well.
Amber’s POV, on the other hand, focused, of course, on Jack, but also on the cheer squad, her friendship with Cara, and how all of this plays in to her potentially coming out. I think these story lines were overall better fleshed out than Jack’s, though they too got a little lost in the Jack-and-Amber-ness as well. We got a lot more back story with Amber, especially surrounding her relationship with Cara. That storyline was really engaging, and I felt I could viscerally connect with Amber’s feelings on the matter, however, in the middle of the book, it felt like it just faded out for a little bit. Cara had been Amber’s best friend. She drove her to and from school every day, and they were attached at the hip, but I’m not sure she made any sort of appearance in the middle 1/3 of the book. That made her re-emergence as a driving factor of the plot in the last bit of the book feel as if it came a little out of left field. Like, I knew it was going to be an issue, from what we learned in the first part of the book, but she was so absent in the middle I all but forgot about her.
Despite the fact that the story line seemed to get a little lost, once it returned, I was quickly able to get reinvested.

The romance, of course, was adorable. I love Amber and Jack (Jamber? Amback? AmberJack?) as characters, and I love them together. Their chemistry was amazing; their banter and flirtation made me want to shriek. Every time Jack called Amber “Cheer Girl”, I’m pretty sure I actually did squeal. Seriously. Team AmberJack forever. I love them.
I also absolutely adored Miguel and Amber’s friendship. MLM/WLW solidarity in the best way. They were just so pure. I want a friendship like that, please. I liked seeing the blossoming friendship between Migs and Jack as well. I was frustrated with him for not always doing the right thing, but I could understand and empathize, with his past. Also, he and Malcolm were perfection.

All in all, this was an amazing read. It’s definitely a romance and character driven plot. It had a lot going on, and sometimes those story lines got lost in all the romance, but they always eventually resurfaced, and the romance was cute and angsty enough that I really couldn’t get myself to care. I highly recommend this one. Dahlia Adler is amazing, and I think I’d read just about any book she puts out.

Not gonna lie, gay YA is one of my favorites to read when I need a pick-me-up and this was just what I needed. I felt like a cheerleader waiting for Jack and Amber to get their H! E! A! What’s that spell? HEA!

I really enjoyed this book and how it discussed the characters identifying as LGBTQ+ in high school and navigating the challenges that come along with it in a small town. I liked the football and cheerleader pair with the two main characters. I enjoy dual POV throughout to get their own personal thoughts on feelings on the different challenges they faced and how they were able to deal with them.

Rating: 3 / 5 Stars

Jack Walsh is Altherton’s newest high school Quarterback. The only problem? She’s a she.

Amber McCloud and Miguel Santiago have been Altherton High’s golden couple since freshmen year. Except they aren’t really a couple, but best friends, and neither have a strong interest in the opposite sex.

When Amber immediately falls for Jack things go quickly off track as she tries to figure out who and what she wants to be to the people and community surrounding her.

Home Field Advantage tackles a lot of strong topics - sexuality, death, pregnancy loss - which almost makes it a bit heavy for a YA novel. I appreciated how the novel explored two different girl’s perspective and situations - there aren’t many books that stray deep into the queer / pan-sexuality spectrum for young adults.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Dahlia Adler for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!Rating: 3 / 5 Stars

Jack Walsh is Altherton’s newest high school Quarterback. The only problem? She’s a she.

Amber McCloud and Miguel Santiago have been Altherton High’s golden couple since freshmen year. Except they aren’t really a couple, but best friends, and neither have a strong interest in the opposite sex.

When Amber immediately falls for Jack things go quickly off track as she tries to figure out who and what she wants to be to the people and community surrounding her.

Home Field Advantage tackles a lot of strong topics - sexuality, death, pregnancy loss - which almost makes it a bit heavy for a YA novel. I appreciated how the novel explored two different girl’s perspective and situations - there aren’t many books that stray deep into the queer / pan-sexuality spectrum for young adults.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Dahlia Adler for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I really liked her previous book I read (Cool for the Summer) and so this was one I also thought was going to like. I unfortunately did not enjoy this one like I hoped.

There was a lot of uncessary high school drama in this and I wasn't a fan of how certain plot lines were handled. The romance didn't do much for me (even though I love a good sapphic romance).

I will say this was a very quick read on audio, so if you want a short audiobook to read in one day, I would suggest picking this one up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Raincoast for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a very cute love story, would definitely recommend to teens. Thank you for the ARC Netgalley!

my goodness this was an amazing read! even within the first few pages, i knew that i’d be loving this book! i think most of it had to do with how relatable the characters are - in high school everybody wants to be noticed but also to fit in with their crowd. the premise reminded me of “queerly beloved” by susie dumond because both couples are totally in love and crazy for each other but take great efforts to hide their relationships from the rest of the world, which i imagine canNOT be easy to do. one thing that sets these plots apart is the family support in “home field advantage.” it was refreshing to see that amber and jack’s families supported their relationships and i was so happy to see that.

i love dual pov plots and in this novel, you get a glimpse at the personal lives of jack and amber. being the new kid at school, i really felt for jack and i was frustrated at how she was treated with little respect at atherton. at the same time, i admired her passion for football and willingness to loose all that she’s familiar with to pursue her dream. her chemistry with amber is adorable and i especially loved reading about their dates. this novel warmed my heart and left me feeling hopeful in the end

I absolutely loved this book!! Dahlia Adler is one of my favorite writers and her newest book does not disappoint!

Ready, steady, go to your nearest bookstore or library and check out the newest addition to Dahlia Adler’s novels, Home Field Advantage!

Amber McCloud’s ultimate goal is to be named captain of her cheer team at the end of the year. However, after the quarterback of the football team, Robbie, is killed in a car accident, it feels exceedingly difficult to remain in high spirits, especially when it is announced that Robbie will be replaced by newcomer Jack Walsh. When Jack Walsh is revealed to be ‘Jaclyn’ Walsh, all hope of unity among the football players and cheerleaders becomes borderline impossible.

The football players and cheerleaders begin to ice out Jack, despite the fact that the new quarterback is significantly a better player than Robbie ever was, leading the Atherton Alligators to victory more than once. Amber tries to prove her leadership skills and unite the teams, but it quickly becomes apparent that her dream of being the cheerleading captain is tied to whether she helps take Jack down.

The problem? Amber and Jack are falling for one another. Amber must make a decision: stand up for Jack and their blossoming relationship, or sacrifice her happiness with Jack for her dream.

Home Field Advantage is a cute sapphic take on the quarterback/cheerleader high school romance trope, and it has quickly become one of my favorite renditions!

Jack and Amber do fall for each other pretty quickly, but considering that teenagers tend to fall hard and fast in their young love, it wasn’t that big of a stretch. Their romance was incredibly sweet and wholesome to watch unfold.

Additionally, Amber and Jack help each other through a lot of turmoil throughout the book, which only solidified their devotion to each other.

The book alternates between Amber and Jack’s perspectives, and I think that was important so that we could know their own respective journeys; Jack and Amber were each facing their own inner struggles and external oppositions, and their characters felt more developed and their stories were all the better for it.

There are definitely moments in the book where Amber and Jack showcase their flaws, which can make them disagreeable (but by no means irredeemable).

For example, it sometimes felt as though Jack was pushing Amber to come out a little bit, so that Jack would not be alone in publicly dealing with the backlash coming from their peers. Likewise, Amber would constantly be hesitant to stand up for Jack when the cheerleaders were being exceptionally cruel, and she would use her friends and Jack as crutches to avoid self-confrontation.

In light of these flaws, Amber and Jack shine as protagonists of the story, and you can’t help but root for them every step of the way.

I will warn that Home Field Advantage does touch on heavy subjects that may be triggering to some, such as misogyny, homophobia, indications of abortion, and bullying. Yet, Dahlia Adler does a great job at introducing these elements in a real way, without sugar-coating but also not heaping it needlessly on her readers.

Adler’s new novel Home Field Advantage is a lovely sapphic take on the high school cheerleader-quarterback romance, and it is a swoon-worthy read that also captures the power of fighting for what is right and staying true to yourself.

After falling in love with Cool for the Summer last year, I was unsurprised at just how much Home Field Advantage had me in a chokehold. Dahlia Adler has now been added to the insta-read author list. Amber and Jack's romance was so incredibly realistic and sweet. I'll definitely be recommending this one!

This was super cute and fun and queer and I really enjoyed it. It took me a few tries to really get into it because of my own stuff and I’m really glad I kept going and finished it. Lots of lovely queer but in a Christian community conflict and handled wonderfully.

This was super good!! I really love queer YA books that take place in a high school. This was a sweet little rom-com of a football star and a head cheerleader. Take all your heteronormative high-school love stories, and make them gay. I totally recommend this!!!

I liked Home Field Advantage by Dahlia Adler overall, but there were some things that made me a little bit annoyed. I liked how the concept of the female quarterback was approached and how interesting Jack’s experiences and pov were to read about, especially since I played all the sports I could growing up and could understand, to an extent, some of what she was feeling. I also really liked the dynamic between Miguel and Amber, and how Amber grew throughout the story. What I wasn’t a fan of was how the tension between Amber and Jack seemed unfounded and a bit uncalled for (due to reasons given) when they had their falling out. And the lengths to which everyone went to make Jack’s life horrible at the new school seemed a bit too extreme, but I do know that in small towns like the one where the novel was set can hold grudges for a record amount of time. I did really like the characters in this book, and the journey that they all went on together.

AHHHH
THIS WAS SO GOOD

Home Field Advantage is about cheerleader Amber and Jack the new quarterback. The previous quarterback Robbie was murdered so when Jack comes to replace him she is met with resistance and everyone on the team basically ostracizing her from the team. Amber is the only one that shows any kind of sympathy. That's where their relationship begins.

I loved this.
Alot.
It was everything I needed in a queer cheerleader x quarterback romance. I really loved the relationship and this book had me squealing at their interactions.

IT WAS SO FLIPPIN CUTE

I recommend this book so much.

I enjoy books that are set around high school sports and so, I thought I'd enjoy this one. I love how the author tackled homophobia in a small town but unfortunately, this was way heavier than I thought it would be (I think that may be just a marketing error on the publishers end) and the characters were just a little too standard for me to really connect or root for any of them.

Really disappoint I didn't love this one but there's definitely an audience for it out there somewhere.

I really, really enjoyed this one. I'm sad I didn't get to it sooner, but at least I'm reading it now!

While some parts were cheesy and I felt like the plot got a little messy toward the end, it's a really cute, sweet romance with stakes that didn't feel unreasonably high like they can in YA books. I'm also SO grateful this one wasn't centered around prom, because I'm really tired of that as a trope in books.

I don't have a ton to say to be honest. This was just really cute and felt really nuanced about coming out, being closeted, and standing up for yourself (and others) when it threatens your reputation/image. I really resonated with so much of this and I just really love how Adler handled some of the more complicated parts.

The one thing I didn't love (and I don't know if it's in the final edition because I read an ARC, so take this with a grain of salt) was Amber saying she's attracted to trans guys and not cis guys...and I didn't love the distinction there...it felt like she was saying trans guys are less male than cis guys, and I don't think that comes off well.

Anyway, overall, though, I really loved this. And I want it to be a Netflix original romcom movie right now.

So sweet, the main characters were really lovable and the story hit super close to home because I'm also a lesbian from a small town in the south. I laughed and cried (and cried some more) but it was so worth it.

I received a copy of this book as an ARC from NetGalley and the Publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What would you give up chasing your dream? Would you break your family apart? Would you leave everything including your best friends behind? Would you chase a pipe dream that in all reality, has very little chance of going anywhere? Would you travel to a high school, suffering the loss their beloved quarterback to replace him? Only to find out he was not as much of a saint as everyone played him out to be? To be ridiculed and mocked, no matter how good your throwing arm is, all because you are a girl in a male dominated sport?

Home Field Advantage is a good story about two young queer girls named Amber and Jack. Jack has a natural born affinity for football and a hell of a throwing arm. When the coach from a nearby school recruits her to take over after they lost their quarterback the following season due to a car accident, Jack knew that it would be tough not only fitting in at school but also fitting in on the team. Who is going to let a girl come in and take over the quarterback's spot, let alone someone that is going to show up the deceased one? What Jack was not expecting was the beautiful Cheer Girl coming in and turning her life upside down, making her question every decision and future decision.

Cheer Girl, or Amber, is a shoo in for captain next season. She has worked hard ever since freshman year to prove she is a team player and a great leader to the team. But goodness, is she ever in the closet and has no plans on coming out any time soon. So much so she has developed a fake romance with Miguel, another queer student at Atherton and a member of the football team. It is not until Jack walks into her life that she begins to question everything she ever thought she needed and wanted. Will she follow the status quo and make Jack's life at Atherton worse than it already is or will she realize that she doesn't need these fake people in her life? Will she realize that she has more to offer than just a cheerleader vying for captain.

This was a decent book. Honestly, what really pushed me off the book was Amber. I hated her annoying "me, myself and I" thought process. She caused so much hurt and damage because she couldn't get past what she wanted. She didn't even realize that she was cutting people off from what they wanted or were in their way. Things could have went so much smoother if Amber had a different attitude. I just did not like her "I'm the victim" mindset all the time. She was such a whiner in my opinion and it was such a turnoff.

The LGBTQ+ rep was beautiful in this book. I really appreciated the way that Dahla talked about how hard it is coming out of the closet. As an ally and a bi-curious female, I can only imagine the difficulties one must face when coming out. Whether it be to your family, school or friends. Thankfully, Atherton was a bit more accepting of LGBTQ+ but I can only imagine what it is like for those that do not have that support. You will always have support here. You are seen. You are heard. And you are loved.

Thank you so much, NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Wednesday Books, for the chance to read this book in exchange of an honest review.

Amber wants to become cheer captain at the end of the year, but it's difficult to be a joyful cheerleader when the quaterback of your teams has been killed in a car accident. It's already complicated seeing him being replaced, but when the squad and the team discover that the replacement is the newcomer Jaclyn, everything changes. The players don't want to be lead by a girl, the cheerleaders are upset by the change in the tradition. Even though Jaclyn, called Jack, is amazing in the sport, there's tension and Amber, after trying for some resemblance of unity, decided to ally with the others to bring Jack down. The only problem? Amber and Jack are falling in love and Amber has to choose between her heart and her dream.

Home field advantage is the brilliant love story between a player and a cheerleader, but make it sapphic! It has everything you could dream of! Amazing and complex characters, a lovely and swoony romance, tensions and doubts, dreams and hopes and the courage of following one's heart.
It's a story about the importance of fighting to get what or who you want, to follow your heart and be true to oneself. I truly enjoyed reading this book! Jack and Amber are absolutely fantastic, I loved their bond so much and even though I'm not such a fan of sports, I loved this book with all my heart. Dahlia Adler is always amazing in the writing style, plot and characterization and this book was right away one of my favourites!

After Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler last year, I was looking forward to Home Field Advantage! Adler once again delivers a heartwarming, funny, at times challenging, very gay story that I had such a great time reading.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc in exchange for a review!