Official Review: The Decision They Made by Maria P Frino

Post by **Ngozi Onyibor** » 16 Apr 2020, 18:03

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Decision They Made" by Maria P Frino.]

3 out of 4 stars

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It's been ages since Amelia left her home and family for the Soviet Union in search of Vladimir. True to her words, her sister, Simona, moved on without her. She did the best she could to raise her daughter, Gee. They had a good life until Simona's granddaughter, Larissa, fell for a charming photographer from the Soviet Union. Could their relationship foretell the unravelling of a well-guarded family secret?

Meanwhile, Amelia is battling with guilt over her past. She has a good life with her husband and kids in Australia, but she could no longer pretend that all is well. Her decision to make things right is met with resistance from her sister. Her actions could change life as they know it.

Though Maria broached some weighty subjects such as war and sexual assault, I like that she didn't go into sordid details. Rather, she focused on the emotions of the characters and the difficult choices they had to make. The story is character-driven and narrated from the third-person perspective. The characters are solid with a distinct voice and sufficient backstories to acquaint a reader with their motivations.

My favourite aspect of the book is how realistic and relatable the characters were. Larissa is the embodiment of a modern woman; she has a successful career and a flock of supportive friends and family, yet she is falling apart on the inside. I admire her vulnerability and strength to ask for help when her inner battles became too much for her to fight alone.

Even though the book has what I would consider a decent plot, it isn't without some shortfalls. One of the most prevalent is inconsistency. There is a scene in the novel where Larissa is used instead of Laura. This disparity affected my reading flow because subsequent information no longer made sense. Again, I expected Larissa to be wary of strangers after her traumatic experience with a mentally ill fan, but the speed and ease with which she took Alexey home seemed unrealistic.

After deliberate consideration, I rate The Decision They Made by Maria P. Frino 3 out of 4 stars. It's a good story, however, I had to deduct a star for the inconsistencies mentioned above. I spotted a few errors and awkward sentences while reading, but nothing serious enough to detract from my reading experience.

If you have a taste for forbidden romance marinated in family drama, you will savour the flavour of The Decision They Made. However, if you prefer your course without sexual abuse, domestic violence and sprinkles of war, order something else.

******
The Decision They Made
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spencermack · Post by **spencermack** » 24 Apr 2020, 10:58

Relateable characters are the best! I love finding myself and those I love in the stories I read. Great review!

Nzube Chizoba Okeke · Post by **Nzube Chizoba Okeke** » 24 Apr 2020, 12:06

This sounds like great book to read. Hmmm forbidden romance... Your review got me hooked and I need to uncover this mystery. Thanks for the review!

Nujudee · Post by **Nujudee** » 24 Apr 2020, 15:02

Looks like an interesting book to embark on.
Thanks alot for your honest and impressive review.

Post by **Ngozi Onyibor** » 24 Apr 2020, 15:30

spencermack wrote: ↑24 Apr 2020, 10:58 Relateable characters are the best! I love finding myself and those I love in the stories I read. Great review!

Thanks for your comment, Spencermack.

Post by **Ngozi Onyibor** » 24 Apr 2020, 15:31

Zee_Zee wrote: ↑24 Apr 2020, 12:06 This sounds like great book to read. Hmmm forbidden romance... Your review got me hooked and I need to uncover this mystery. Thanks for the review!

Thanks for reading and commenting on my review, Zee.