Reviews

I liked this fast-paced novel, which is mixes a sports underdog tale with an Italian travelogue. After a concussion ends his less-than-stellar NFL career, Browns quarterback Rick Dockery gets one last chance at the game. The catch? It's thousands of miles away from Cleveland, playing for the Italian football team, the Parma Panthers. Rick knows the game, but has a lot to learn about Italian life and culture. The first half of this novel made me hungry, with all its descriptions of Italian food. While I couldn't always follow all of the football scenes (knowing little about the game) I enjoyed them, particularly the descriptions of Rick's teammates. The ending was a little too ambiguous for my tastes, but overall it was an enjoyable book to listen to.

mattpaineofficial's review against another edition

Go to review page

funny inspiring lighthearted 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? Yes

4.5

tracib's review against another edition

Go to review page

1.0

Six chapters in and I’m ready to give the main character a concussion. I figured it would be one of those “asshole guy finds redemption” stories, but I find myself not caring about this guy at all. Life’s too short, moving on.

cafeluta's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

Too much American Football slang for an European, maybe if you're American it's fine, but I personally felt lost at times. However the description of Italy is truly spot on and reminds me of wonderful times. Read it during the pandemic, I think it's a good choice for this stressful time since it's q short, light book (unless it makes you sad because of what has been happening in Italy for the last few weeks).

kayjayelle's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

Playing for Pizza is a swift read. It was light and enjoyable. The main character is a delight and it is interesting to watch him develop. You will not close the book unsatisfied nor will you claim it as an American classic. However, the novel creates a strong desire to hop on a plane to Italy to travel like Rick and Livvy.

cpalma1's review against another edition

Go to review page

lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

rjscarfe83's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous informative medium-paced

3.75

More...