A review by betweentheshelves
Home Field Advantage by Dahlia Adler

emotional funny hopeful fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Amber McCloud has been dreaming of becoming cheer captain for as long as she can remember. But, it's hard to cheer when the quarterback of your team was killed in a car accident. Watching him get replaced has been hard for everyone. However, when they realize that the new quarterback is Jaclyn aka Jack, everything descends into chaos.

For Jack, starting at a new school is hard enough without being scruntinized as the only girl on the football team. It's even harder when everyone resents you. As Amber works to try to bring everyone together, it's quickly clear that the two girls might be falling for each other. Which means, Amber might have to pick a side: love or her dreams of cheer captain.

Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an advanced copy of this to review! When you pick up a Dahlia Adler book, you know it's going to be an adorable romance, and this is no different! Honestly, it's the perfect book to start off your summer with.

What I enjoyed about this book from the start is that it's a twist on the classic high school romance. We all know the story where the cheerleader and the quarterback fall for each other. Adler just made it gay. And oh my goodness, does it work so well. Amber and Jack have great chemistry from the beginning, and I loved seeing them evolve throughout the book.

Also, the core characters were just a treaet. I specificaly loved the dynamic between Jack, Amber, and Malcolm. They all support each other when they don't feel it's safe to be out. Yes, they all make mistakes, but they're teenagers! Everything they did felt realistic and teenagery. I was 100% here for it.

However, if you're looking for a book that's focused specifically on the sports, you might be dissapointed in the amount of sports actually inlcuded in the book. A lot of the football is just glossed over. I didn't mind, but it might throw you off if it's something you're looking for.

All in all, I loved this as a start of Pride Month read and can't wait for other people to read it!
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Dahlia Adler took your typical high school romance story, a cheerleader falling for the quarterbakc, and made it gay. And it was great. Stay tuned for a full review to come!

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