Book Review | Home Game – Ginger Scott (The Waiting Series: Next Generation, Book One)

Home Game
By: Ginger Scott

Series: The Waiting Series: Next Generation
Book # in Series: 1 of 1
Genre: New Adult/High School Seniors
Publisher: Little Miss Write, LLC
Publication Date: October 10th, 2024
My Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮
My Reading Format: Advanced Copy Received To Review Honestly

Synopsis:

Football has been my life. Not that I ever had a choice in the matter. When your dad is a retired, future Hall-of-Fame quarterback, the gridiron tends to weave its way into your DNA.

I always loved the game, but I could do without the spotlight that comes with being Peyton Johnson, the great Reed Johnson’s daughter. To make matters worse, when my dad retired from the NFL, he decided his second calling was to take over the head coaching gig at my high school, where he has coached my boyfriend for the last three years.

Correction—my ex-boyfriend.

While the fairytale high-school sweetheart story may have worked for my parents, I have other plans. And following a self-absorbed athlete to college is not part of them, no matter how hard my dad tries to push me and my ex together.

Thankfully, a new high school opens and draws a line through the center of our town, sending half of my dad’s players to a new team. And apparently, their new quarterback is breaking all of my dad’s old state records. It’s the ultimate distraction, giving me the chance to land myself a spot on the cheer team at any college that isn’t close to home.

But then I meet him. Wyatt Stone. The guy my dad considers our enemy. The best quarterback I’ve ever seen. A complete jerk who I can’t quit thinking about. And running into. And rooting for.

Now, I’m the one who is distracted. And repeating my parents’ love story doesn’t sound so bad after all.

*** This is a second-generation novel from The Waiting Series world. Peyton is the daughter of Reed and Nolan.

Peyton has lived her life in her father’s shadow. But that’s the price that comes with having a football star of a dad. But this year, is her last year in high school, and she’ll be damned if she let’s another year of that shadow covers her shine once again. So with a newly single status, Peyton is going to make this year her best year yet… That is until Wyatt, A football star in the rival school across town who happens to be breaking all of her dad’s old records, steps into her line of sight. 

Wyatt never wanted the stardom that comes with throwing a football. But here he is, in a new school making rivals out of his old school across town. He’s on the path to break all of his idol football player, Reed Johnson’s records and his old school isn’t happy about it one bit. A few key players are also not happy with the budding relationship that is starting to percolate between him and their very own cheerleader….

The more time Wyatt and Peyton spend together, the more they refuse to let anyone break what they have, that includes her father, who also happens to be the coach to the team rivaling Wyatts…. Um, I can sense some strong drama with this one!

My Thoughts:

Ginger Scott is a new to me author, and typically I would see the next generation tag and completely skip this book and add it to my tbr shelf due to not wanting to spoil myself when it comes to the first generation reads. However, I was compelled to read Home Game by Ginger Scott after reading the blurb. I’m not going to lie. The rivalry had me enamored! A little back story, Mr. Man and I went to rival high schools, so I immediately felt a connection with this novel right off the bat. I felt a strong connection to Peyton and Wyatt’s characters and to their connection. I can’t even begin to describe how much I adored this novel, so bare with me through this review.

Before I officially dive into this novel, let me start by saying that I really missed the new adult/high school senior genre. It has been a long time since I last read a book within this genre. My heart felt every moment in this coming of age type romance. What can I say when it comes to finding love for the first time, I’m a goner! I love the vulnerability that shines through novels with this type of trope. My heart felt every emotion, every fear, every risk, and every smile! I couldn’t get enough.

Let’s discuss the main characters! Up first, we have Peyton! Peyton has had a connection to the game known as Football since she was a small child, all thanks to her grandfather and her father. But, having a dad that is a retired pro-football player isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, especially when everything she’s ever accomplished on her own is downplayed by the public. It has to be hard having a dad with a celebrity status. Not knowing who is being honest with their friendship and who is in it for the clout had to be difficult. My heart really broke for Peyton for this fact. I loved the fact that her mentality changed for her senior year. She let the wasted space in her life, known as her on again/off again boyfriend Bryce, go. And no matter how hard he tried to get her back, she didn’t back down. She knew his intentions were no longer pure. Peyton definitely needed an equal in her life. Someone who puts her needs above and beyond. someone who wasn’t in a relationship with her just to get ahead with the team her father coached. She needed someone who truly cherished her. And then Wyatt stepped into her life, and she got everything she dreamed of and so much more. When I say this novel is a real-life fairy tale, you can take my word to heart! These two souls were written in the stars!

And then there is Wyatt. This is a man who has been through hell and back in a year. Having lost his father to cancer, and now having to carry a brand new high school’s football team to their first victory, it definitely has the weight of the world on his shoulders. The most likable fact about Wyatt is the fact that he’s cool, calm, and collected. Along with swoony, sweet, and sexy as sin…. But we’ll get to all that in a second. No matter the drama and threats, Wyatt never lost his cool and remained the man his father would be proud of. Trust me when I say there were moments I wanted to step through my Kindle and fight this man’s battles for him. But at the end of the day, I loved his approach of not backing down but also not giving in to unnecessary drama. This man fought his battles and chose his wars. Now onto the sweet, swoony, and sexy as sin character traits. The way this man was with Peyton, YES! Peyton needed a man in her life who didn’t have intentions of getting close to her father. Someone unlike her ex-boyfriend. When Wyatt stepped into Peyton’s life, I felt the immediate spark between the two. It’s a special feeling when a reader automatically knows within their heart of hearts that this couple will make it through every obstacle that will be thrown in their path. And this couple definitely had that special trait in spades! My heart loved Wyatt’s personality. He was a true gentleman, and I’ve come to appreciate author’s for bringing traits such as these to their heroes.

Ginger Scott blew me away with Wyatt and Peyton’s story! But there was one more fact that I loved within this novel that had nothing to do with Peyton and Wyatt’s relationship. I loved the strong family unit both Peyton and Wyatt had in their point of view. My heart adored the moments between Wyatt and his mom, along with Wyatt and his dad’s friends. I loved the heartfelt conversations shared between the two. And then, on a different front, we have Peyton and her family. I loved the solo moments between Peyton and her grandfather and the daddy/daughter moments. It was clear Reed wasn’t ready to let his little girl go. And when Wyatt stepped on to the scene, I felt that fear of losing his little girl that Reed hid behind his sullen attitude. My heart adored these moments! That is ultimately why I decided to give Home Game a 5 star rating!

If you love your romance novels on the sweet and spicy spectrum, you should read this novel. If you like your romance heroes with a soft heart and a kind soul, this is a must-read for you. If you like your romance heroines with a feisty but sweet side, you should definitely read this novel! And most importantly, if you love novels with a forbidden romance and rival high schools… It’s a given!

I’m so happy I decided to jump the gun with this series. Now, I’m feeling the need to pick up the books in the Waiting Series and marathoning the heck out of them!! I can sense my strong love for this series, and I haven’t even read a single blurb yet!! Ginger Scott has a new fan!

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Peace Love and Happy Reading,