Genre: Sports Romance, Contemporary Romance
My Review - 5 Stars
The Milwaukee Dragons series is my kind of sports romance. It’s not afraid to examine the negative sides of the industry, which makes the stories that much more compelling. Case in point: Home Field Advantage.
Dragons reporter Natalie dated football star Quinn back in college before ghosting him. He’s never known why and he’s carrying quite the grudge after she wrote an article a few years later laying out his alcoholism. Now Quinn is making a comeback and on the Dragons, meaning he’s back in Natalie’s orbit.
Natalie’s career frustrations were really relatable, especially when the boss she idolized for years has turned out to not be the person Natalie thought she was. She also wrestles with the article she wrote about Quinn, knowing she maintained journalistic integrity and that it helped save him from the path he was on but still feeling guilty nonetheless. I really enjoyed seeing her interview the players and figure out what stories to develop and that the story did not shy away from showing how sexism impacts her work.
Quinn was such a compelling character. Not only is he looking for a comeback on his new team, he’s in recovery for alcoholism, as well as thinking about how many more years he might have left in football. I commend Liz Lincoln for the way she wrote about his recovery. He’s doing the work! We get to see him in therapy and using different coping skills. While I’ve never worked in addiction and recovery, it felt like a very authentic portrayal. I also very much appreciated that he’s two years in to his recovery and so starting a relationship won’t compromise the work he’s done. I’ve read a couple of books this past year with characters in recovery who were not treated with as much care and whose author made plot choices that would harm their recovery. That made this all the more refreshing to read.
Neither Natalie or Quinn want to be around the other person and yet their path keeps crossing until there’s no denying their old chemistry never went away. I thoroughly enjoyed their evolution from exes to friends to finally friends with benefits. Finding out why Natalie left him all those years ago is a big moment and really highlighted how the deck could be stacked against them. It’s clear neither of them want to recognize something more is going on and they have valid reasons for being skittish. But there’s so much satisfaction in watching them give in to their feelings and work through their concerns and fears.
I simply adore this series and I’m really hoping Matt’s story will be next because I’m dying to know what happened to break him and Celia apart. Plus, I am fascinated by what the Center for TBI Research is doing and want to learn more about the important CTE research happening.
CW: alcoholism, recovery, references to hospitalization due to seizures, toxic family members, sexism
Synopsis
Is the Dragons’ new wide receiver: A) a fallen NFL star looking for a comeback, B) the sexy player your boss wants you to write an exposé on, or C) the former love of your life?
For Milwaukee Dragons beat reporter Natalie Griffith, he’s clearly D) all of the above. Three years ago, Natalie’s bombshell report on her ex-boyfriend’s off-the-field scandals landed her the job she loves, but she still feels guilty about destroying his career. Now Quinn Lowry’s back, and he’s taking over her locker room, flashing his charming smile and reminding her exactly how hot they were together.
After two years out of the league, Quinn is sober and on the field again. He’s worked his ass off and he’s not going to blow his second chance, not even for the woman who broke his heart—twice. Having Natalie around is the last thing Quinn needs while he’s trying to prove he deserves to stay on the team.
Maybe one final night together will give them both some much-needed closure. But with Natalie’s boss pressuring her for another headline-grabbing scoop, can she admit to herself that she’s falling for Quinn all over again?
Buy the book:
Amazon (affiliate link) | Barnes & Noble
Disclosure: I received an advanced copy from Loveswept in exchange for an honest review.
