From a reviewer on Amazon.com
Here the author takes a break.
...and while in Italy, enjoying himself with food and opera, he decides to write it down... just for the fun of it!
There is no other explanation for such a lovely short novel, totally extraneous to Grisham's plots and style.
The Italianised American football is there as an excuse for the story, so as to make it more palatable to an American audience. And yet, all his readers protested and criticised this latest effort.
I don't see why. Can't a writer take a nice relaxing vacation in Northern Italy and offer it to the public for enjoyment?
I did enjoy it and, being Italian myself, I worked up an appetite. I must say that Grisham's culinary descriptions were exceptionally good, worth of the best Parma chefs.
Relly, not expecting too much from this novel, I was thoroughly delighted by it and found the author's handling of the Northern Italians quite funny and true to life.

If you want to savour some Mediterranean aroma from an American perspective, then this book is for you. The football technicalities are just there for context.

RELEASE NOTES:

Bringing this to the Gold Coast Meet Up today and if no one wants it I will wild release it.

Just journaling to let you know that my sister picked this book up from the last GC meet up.

Ha ha luckydipper, your bag of books arrive at my PO Box today and one of the books in it was mine that I never ready! Looks like I am destined to read this one, so I'll put it in my pile of TBR books!

This was orignally my book, then I passed it on to luckydipper without reading it and then it's come back to me, so I felt like I had to read it. ; )

I must admit I was pleasantly surprised by this book, I wasn't expecting to like it because I am not a fan of American Football (or sports in general). But this was a fantastic mix with a bit of sport (in a different more interesting setting), wonderful descriptions of Italians, food which made my tummy rumble while reading and scenery.

I plan on leaving this near the parallel parking area.