Official Review: She Said. He Said. by M.G. Crisci

Ruba Abu Ali · Post by **Ruba Abu Ali** » 04 Mar 2019, 17:03

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "She Said. He Said." by M.G. Crisci.]

3 out of 4 stars

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“There are three sides to every story. Yours. Mine. What really happened: the truth.” Jeyn Roberts.

She said. He said. by M. G. Crisci is classified under the genre of romance. In reality, it also has the soul of a psychological and a legal thriller.

I was gripped from the first sentence of the story. The thirtieth Alexandria Plummet, who works as a field sales representative at the American Financial Associates “AFA” files a formal complaint of sexual harassment against Martin Ruff. Ruff, on the other hand, is a middle-aged investment banker and the vice-president at the same company.

This makes one wonder how much of the truth Alexandria’s claims hold. Was she just inflicted with overbearing personal expectations? You’d also want to know how far Martin had really gone. What ramifications will this case have on his professional life? What shadows will it throw on both Martin’s and Alexandria’s families? All to be answered upon delving into the story.

This character-driven narrative is predominantly told using Martin’s first-person voice. I was mesmerized by both the author’s astute understanding and pristine depiction of human nature, particularly that of women. This was evident in his well-rounded, transparent, and relatable characters. They were flawed, and it is these imperfections that made them more real and believable. Hence, I find myself a bit disinclined to decide which character resonated with me the most.

However, of all the strong female characters that he portrayed, Lauren, Martin’s wife of 35 years, stands out. Here’s a glimpse into her line of thinking, “Martin, how much is enough? Don’t get me wrong. I love the good life just like you, and we’ve been fortunate to have more than most. But are money and toys the measure of a man? I thank God, every day that he has given us good health and a wonderful family."

I was also amused and challenged by Alexandria’s dry sense of humor, “Why is it when a guy asks a challenging question, it’s just business, but when a woman does the same thing, it becomes highly personal? You men and your goddamn testosterone!”

With a smooth, clear, and eloquent writing style the author voices on important topics like infidelity and its consequences, work struggles, psychiatric and mental health, and life’s messy realities and its unexpected turns. Also enticing is the detailed account of the workplace legal and administrative arguments, and the upscale corporate business ladder battles.

Furthermore, I appreciated the author’s graceful delivery of romance, with no domineering intimate details, which leaves room for readers’ imagination.

Following the same line of reasoning, I liked the accurate and well-researched description of panic attacks, which brings to the front row Martin’s heartfelt interaction with his son Martin Jr. As a parent, I was inundated by the authenticity of the encounters between the two of them, and by Martin’s genuine feelings, as he attempts to help his vulnerable kid.

Without giving away any spoilers, I was taken aback by some twists in the last third of the book, which added depth to the already intricate plot. In addition, the engaging storyline and the ingenuity of the dialogue left me craving for more.

That being said, the only drawback I can think of is the editorial issues. Although they did not detract from my overall enjoyment of the story, the 20 typographical and grammatical errors I came across throughout the book, were sufficient to force a one-star deduction in the overall rating. Therefore, I give She said. He said. by M. G. Crisci 3 out of 4 stars. A polishing round of proofreading to clean the minor mistakes will notch it up to the perfect score it deserves.

On the plus side, I think this book would appeal to a wide portfolio of readers. Suffice it to cherish psychological and legal thrillers, romance, or a masterfully crafted piece of literature to enjoy this book. I can’t think of any subset of readers who wouldn’t find in it something to relate to.

On a final note, I cannot but applaud the author, for in a world where words have the power to make or break, he has exhibited phenomenal finesse in creating literature that matters.

******
She Said. He Said.
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

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Post by **kandscreeley** » 08 Mar 2019, 09:14

I love a good twist. The editorial issues don't sound too overwhelming, so it's something worth looking into. I wonder what the story actually is about the harassment. Sometimes people take things out of context, but sometimes you do have to be careful what you say. Thanks for the information.

Ruba Abu Ali · Post by **Ruba Abu Ali** » 08 Mar 2019, 11:19

kandscreeley wrote: ↑08 Mar 2019, 09:14 I love a good twist. The editorial issues don't sound too overwhelming, so it's something worth looking into. I wonder what the story actually is about the harassment. Sometimes people take things out of context, but sometimes you do have to be careful what you say. Thanks for the information.

It is indeed a sensitive issue that needs to be tackled delicately and objectively. Thanks for your comment.

Wamune · Post by **Wamune** » 09 Mar 2019, 11:42

I love romance novels. I prefer stories written in a first person point of view because it gives you a character through whom you will constantly be following the narrations and events. Thirdly, who doesn't appreciate novels that have unexpected turn of events? Surely not me and for this i shall read the book regardless of the typos. Good and detailed review.

Cecilia_L · Post by **Cecilia_L** » 09 Mar 2019, 13:50

I love psychological thrillers and the title is appealing, too. Thanks for the excellent review, Ruba.

Ruba Abu Ali · Post by **Ruba Abu Ali** » 09 Mar 2019, 16:43

Wamune wrote: ↑09 Mar 2019, 11:42 I love romance novels. I prefer stories written in a first person point of view because it gives you a character through whom you will constantly be following the narrations and events. Thirdly, who doesn't appreciate novels that have unexpected turn of events? Surely not me and for this i shall read the book regardless of the typos. Good and detailed review.

Thank you! I think you'll enjoy it.

Ruba Abu Ali · Post by **Ruba Abu Ali** » 09 Mar 2019, 16:45

Cecilia_L wrote: ↑09 Mar 2019, 13:50 I love psychological thrillers and the title is appealing, too. Thanks for the excellent review, Ruba.

I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did. Thanks much, Cecilia!

Skye45 · Post by **Skye45** » 10 Mar 2019, 18:47

I'm not big on romance novels but your review makes me want to give it a try. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful review

Ruba Abu Ali · Post by **Ruba Abu Ali** » 11 Mar 2019, 05:45

Skye45 wrote: ↑10 Mar 2019, 18:47 I'm not big on romance novels but your review makes me want to give it a try. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful review

Thanks for the kind words! There is so much more to this book than just romance, which- by the way- is not overbearing, and is used to serve the plot. This is such a captivating and highly-recommended read.

Tim Terry · Post by **Tim Terry** » 12 Mar 2019, 14:56

Your review makes this sound like an interesting and almost intimate book to read, with some interesting twists in romance. I enjoyed reading your review and will look this book up!

Ruba Abu Ali · Post by **Ruba Abu Ali** » 13 Mar 2019, 03:11

timd wrote: ↑12 Mar 2019, 14:56 Your review makes this sound like an interesting and almost intimate book to read, with some interesting twists in romance. I enjoyed reading your review and will look this book up!

Thanks for the kind words! Hope you enjoy it.

Epiper35 · Post by **Epiper35** » 13 Mar 2019, 21:31

Adding this book to my must read list! Thanks for the review

Ruba Abu Ali · Post by **Ruba Abu Ali** » 14 Mar 2019, 01:46

Epiper35 wrote: ↑13 Mar 2019, 21:31 Adding this book to my must read list! Thanks for the review

Thank you! Enjoy reading it.

hedwigwhite · Post by **hedwigwhite** » 14 Mar 2019, 08:47

The romance genre has always been more of a miss than a hit for me. This book, though, sounds intriguing. It doesn't focus solely on the romance, but has psychological aspects as well. Add on those real and believable characters, which you wonderfully gave examples of, I'm willing to give this book a shot. Thanks for the amazing review!

Ruba Abu Ali · Post by **Ruba Abu Ali** » 14 Mar 2019, 12:07

hedwigwhite wrote: ↑14 Mar 2019, 08:47 The romance genre has always been more of a miss than a hit for me. This book, though, sounds intriguing. It doesn't focus solely on the romance, but has psychological aspects as well. Add on those real and believable characters, which you wonderfully gave examples of, I'm willing to give this book a shot. Thanks for the amazing review!

Thank you for the kind words! Glad you're willing to give this book a shot. It's well worth it.