In just 11 minutes, third-string quarterback Rick Dockery, ruined his NFL career forever. Playing for the Cleveland Browns in the AFC championship game Rick was unexpectedly called upon when the first and second string quarterbacks were taken out of the game with 11 minutes to go. In those 11 minutes Rick blew a 17 point lead by throwing two interceptions and getting sacked so bad he ended up in the hospital.

When he woke up from his concussion not one NFL team would touch him with a 10-foot pole. Angry fans even started a riot at the hospital. So Rick was pleasantly surprised when his agent called with an offer to play for the Panthers. But Rick wasn’t off to Carolina. He was on his way to Parma, Italy.

With Italian football, each team is allowed 3 paid Americans. The rest of the team is made up of players who play for free because they love of American football. The Panthers look upon Rick as their savior. They think he can lead them to the Italian Superbowl to defeat their rival team. But to Rick, Parma is the last place on earth he wants to be and it shows.

My husband is a huge John Grisham fan so I originally picked this one up for him. After he read it he loved it so much that I had to see what all the fuss was about and I loved it too. Rick grows so much as a character in this book and the Parma team just cracks me up. There is a guy with plenty of unnecessary butt clenching, a judge that takes his aggression out on the field and an Italian football diva that liven up the story with their antics.

Rick’s romantic interest really threw me in this book. He didn’t end up with who I thought he would but I still enjoyed the romance. This is a really fun book that I recommend to all fiction lovers.

Reviewed for Reading With Monie

Did not like this book.. John Grisham must have had a slump.

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