(ARC received from author in exchange for an honest review)Fourth Down by Kirsten DeMuzioFourth Down is the story of both Poppy & Ford. The book starts 3 years earlier when Ford suffers his career ending injury and then moves to the present day.This is the first book I’ve read from this author and when I read the synopsis it reminded me very much of a book I’ve read recently which was along the same lines as this one. I suppose I agreed to review it just to see if it was the same. It didn’t take very long to see that this was not the case. The book has a good mix of love, loss, heartbreak and stubborn characters!Poppy is paying her way through college while working with terminally ill patients and helping to make their last days as easy as possible by taking over every days tasks and just being there for them. She first meets Ford in a bar where her friend gets her in to trouble by trying to get her to buy a drink while underage. This doesn’t go down well with Ford and the story moves on from there.For me the book is slightly too descriptive and the characters spend quite a bit of time in their own heads. As a reader, I prefer books where there is lots of character interaction. Although don’t let this put you off, as I said this is a personal preference. The plot and storyline are intriguing and have you hooked from the first page because you just have to know how it’ll finish. As with all stand-alone romance books you know that there will be a ending fitting to the story and the characters, it’s the journey taken to get there that makes a book stand apart from others and this particular storyline is not one I have come across before and it was delivered well. Grabbing hold of your emotions and dragging you along for the ride.A great 4* read Four stars of I want to do it on the endzone (just sayin)Can a split minute decision change the course of your life ? When Ford makes that decision it alters his perception of what he was suppose to do with his life. Football is all Ford knows, it's what he love to do. Fords mother had to work two jobs to support Fords dream of playing the game he loves.What happens when that dream is taking away from you. Ford has a carrer ending injury that takes away his dream of playing in the NFL. Feeling like he made the wrong split minute decision he feels like he let his mother down as well losing his dream.... Three years later he's bartending back at home taking care of his mother who has cancer Fate collides ....Poppy is a college girl going to school to be a doctor. She works as an aide to terminally ill patients while trying to finish school and teaches yoga. The loss of her father to cancer at such a young age gave her the direction to become a doctor. When she gets forced to go out for Halloween she gets much more then she bargained for. Not even 21 Poppy's best friend try's to get her to drink, losen up a bit, when asked for her ID she feels like she's never has before when her eyes meet Fords ...Turns out the girl from the bar is now his mothers home care aide. All Ford can see is anger .. Angry about football, his mother , now a girl who was trying to drink underage at his bar is now taking care of his mother ... Not happening Not if his mother has anything to say about it .. She loves Poppy and wants her to stay, she makes Ford apologize for his rude behavior. He goes to apologize and winds up taking the yoga class she teaches. "Oh you can't get rid of me that easily,sweetheart thanks for the workout. I'll see you tomorrow" ~ Ford Well if that isn't sexual tension .... There worlds intertwine they are so good for each other but can there growing relationship handle heartbreak .. Distance"Make no mistake. I want to kiss you from the moment you walked into the bar in that ridiculous school girl costume. Even when I was pissed at you for helping my mom, I wanted to kiss you. And to night when u defended my honor to a guy three times your size I wanted to kiss you. There is not a second that goes by when I am around you that I don't want to grab you and kiss the hell out of you, Poppy"Read this fantastic story it makes you realize what's important in your life no matter what decisions you make !!
