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

[Jgideon]

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

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3 out of 4 stars

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When the corporate world gets messy, ‘sometimes, everybody loses’ and life goes on. Martin Ruff was very excited when he got a job with American Financial Associates. Peter Maroney (Pete), the CEO and the majority shareholder in the company, gave Martin full support as he worked to expand AFA’s client base. The other shareholders in the company were Dawson Craft, Eddie Carr, and Jeremy Costas. Everything went on smoothly until the devil enticed Ruff into his world. M. G. Crisci, the author of She Said. He Said, takes the reader through the career and family life of Martin Ruff.

Martin was at the peak of his career as a seasoned financial and marketing adviser when a single mistake on his part threatened everything he had achieved in his lifetime. For 35 years, he was happily married to his loyal wife Lauren who was also his confidante. Their family comprised of Bart and his wife (Valerie), Martin Junior (MJ), and their granddaughter (Bianca). At some point, MJ suffered an acute panic attack that made his mother be constantly there for him. During that time, Ruff felt that his wife had somehow neglected him and spent much of his time with his colleagues at work. He drew closer to one of the female employees, Alexandria Plummet. Could Martin Ruff balance his career, family, and an affair without any of them blowing up into pieces?

I loved the interplay of the characters used in the story. The author moves the reader from office work, to posh business parties, and to family settings through well-thought-out characters. This enabled me to have a clear understanding of the themes of the book. For instance, Ruff and his wife could attend AFA business parties together where Lauren met with all the company employees. This helped me to understand the choices that Lauren made later in her life.

Talking of themes, the author has used the book to teach his audience that one case of misjudgment could cost someone his/her happiness. The importance of having solid work ethics and family values also comes out clearly in this book. Martin Ruff was very trusting when it came to his relationship with Plummet, and it made him do things that he would have never done if only he had analyzed the situation better.

While reading Martin Ruff's story, I felt that the author could have given the book a better title. ‘She Said. He Said’ only illuminates a minimal part of the story. The wrangles in the book affect all the characters. Given the type of ending that the author gave the novel, I think that ‘Sometimes, Everyone Loses’ could do well as the book’s title.

The author used both the first person and third person voices in the book. I wished that he could have chosen either of the two to enable a uniform flow of the book. Sometimes, the two voices were quite confusing.

Overall, the book serves a well-thought-out story with unforgettable characters. However, there are several grammatical errors in the book that could be easily polished by the helpful hand of a fine editor. Therefore, I settled for 3 out of 4 stars as my rating for the novel. I recommend it to all readers who have a keen eye on work ethics and family values.

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She Said. He Said.
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Like Jgideon's review? Post a comment saying so!

[Agnes Masobeng]

I wouldn't mind reading this one. As per the review, it seems like it was uniquely written as it alternates between office work and family life.

[Rocki]

She Said. He Said. by M.G. Crisci seems like a good read . It snagged my attention first with the title altought the reviewer stated the title doesn't give the book justice I enjoy a little drama.

[Stephanie Elizabeth]

Great review. I am glad the author emphasizes the importance of family and morals!

[kandscreeley]

I don't think I've read a book yet that successfully alternates between two different points of view. It really should be one or the other. Still, this sounds like an interesting tale. I'm just not sure it's for me. I'm glad you enjoyed it, though. Thanks.

[kdstrack]

That theme of losing your happiness due to one small misjudgment is appealing. The author highlights how emotions can make us vulnerable and have lasting consequences. This sounds interesting! Thanks for the compelling review.

[Prisallen]

Call me old-fashioned, I think having an affair is a big mistake. But, we are all human and tend to make mistakes. I'm curious where his infidelity lands him. Thank you for a wonderful review!

[Meg98]

This sounds like a very promising and well thought out book. I do like that you mentioned how the author goes from scene to scene, specifically with the characters and their interplay. It is imperative in my opinion that the flow of these two is smooth, and when that is accomplished it is often evident of a good writer. Your review is intriguing, and I might just take a look at this story. Thanks for sharing your thoughts:) Great job!

[Brendan Donaghy]

I know from the Book of the Month forum that alternating between first and third person point of view is a risky business for an author - it doesn't always come off! That said, this sounds like an interesting read. Thanks for your review!