It Might Have Been What He Said: A Novel

by Eden Collinsworth

Marrying charming writer James in spite of his drinking and womanizing past, disturbed publishing executive Isabel confounds her concerned friends and family members with their unlikely mutual devotion, a situation that erupts when Isabel deteriorates into mental instability and attempts to murder her husband for a reason she cannot remember. 30,000 first printing.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Mystery

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the first sentence, the main character tells us that she tried to kill her husband. The rest of the book attempts to unravel the reasons why. It's a marriage that never should have happened, too often accentuated by rambling flashbacks that seem to be without direction.

[Jennifer Gottschalk · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unconventional love story featuring a pragmatic female protagonist and an impulsive, talented, entitled male protagonist. Told, for the most part, from the female's perspective this was a surprisingly compelling read and something of a cautionary tale.

I was not expecting to enjoy this novel nearly as much as I did. The writing was masterful, the pace was perfect and the underlying story intriguing.

[itsallaboutbooksandmacarons · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so thrilled to get to know what happened her but at the end I was a little disapointed. I really do not know what to write about. It seemed all hype for nothing. But I have to admit I like the beggining. And the story was not bad just not for me.

[Blanche Devereaux · Rating 4 out of 5]

We've all been Isabelle at one point or another. I really Felt for her and quite frankly she held it all together well! Your simple case of pay attention to what's right in front of you and stop seeing what you want to. I loved the pace and thought it was consistent with a good timeline and a direction to be headed in. Also very realistic! Good shit! Lolol

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some authors are just witty and Eden Collinsworth a new addition to the witty author ranks. Reviews are comparing her to Jane Austin and Edith Wharton.

Featuring quirky modern day "upper crust" characters and views of their often chaotic and rule bound lifestyles, this was an engrossing first novel. While the prose isn't as elegant as some of the other novels I read this year who can resist sentences like the opening sentence: "Isabel could remember the precise moment she tried killing her husband. Strangely enough she couldn't recall why" and "If asked to justify himself, James would say he simply allowed Isabel to believe what she wanted..yes, it might have been the omission of truth; but no, it wasn't a lie."

This also gives you a pretty good summary of what the novel is about. The charming carefree spendthrift of a husband and Isabel's mad (as all love is to some degree) passionate love for him causes Isabel to become worn down with worry but what keeps her in love and supporting her beloved but difficult husband is the hope that he will change. When that hope is shattered by her husband's engagement to another woman her life starts to move in a very different direction as she drowns in grief and the beginning of madness. And yet in the end it is Isabel who escapes to live a life worth cherishing and it is James who is trapped into the destiny he was intended for, marrying money and saving the family estate.

This was a moving but disturbing novel that in a clear and direct way shows how the choices we make along the way lead us in directions we never intended to take.

[Marisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Library Request. What a load of crap this book was, please take my word for it, don’t waste any Brain matter on this discombobulated nonsensical version of Edwardian crap but presumably in modern times. I hated every last word, I only completed the book because I was incredulous to it’s absurd characters and and storylines.kihaaddlnalaaaagmmmmmmvvVVAVACVAPx acxxaxxx taslnllnclnvvllccclłk
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[Janice Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read this book three years ago I gave it a higher rating, but reading through my notes I still can't quite remember it, making me think it is not really a five star book. I noted her crisp writing style and the intriguing story about a woman who starts by saying she tried to kill her husband, concluding that it is ultimately the story of what happens when mind and heart work together to produce the best outcome. Found the characters marvelously eccentric and fully realized.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than I expected after reading some of the reviews.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read so many domestic thrillers that when I skimmed the blurb of this book I assumed that is what I would be getting. This isn't that sort of book at all. The characters are quirky and the story seems to meander but there is just enough humor to keep it interesting.

[LisaMarie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Glad this load of boring pretentious crap was free on Audible. Made it to Chapter 6, thinking I'd give it at least until the husband made an appearance, but was too bored and filled with loathing for Isabella that I just couldn't.

[Avid · Rating 1 out of 5]

Waste of time! As slow as molasses. Degrading to the reader with jumping around drama of a bland and painful storyline. I was miserable and often found myself asking, "Wait, what's happening?" only to realize it really didn't matter.

Pass this book up! Sad to say when it was free. 😞

[Ida Wilcox · Rating 1 out of 5]

boring story and I just couldnt really get into it.

[Heidi Miller Perez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring, uninspired and dull. Don’t waste your time.

[Paddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The key characters were broken and unlikeable, the dialogue was ridiculously unrealistic, and the fact that editing and publishing as well as wordcraft itself were key elements of the plot felt contrived, but despite these problems I enjoyed the act of reading it. The first sentence of each chapter is a hook that piques curiosity and encourages one to proceed with the complete chapter.

Several other readers have said that the marriage between the two main characters, Isabel and James, should never have happened. I disagree. It's true that a woman should never imagine that a man will change after marriage. She must be prepared to accept him as he is, or not at all. Nevertheless, they produced a talented, intelligent and likeable son. That, surely, makes all the turbulence worthwhile.

[Candida · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an eloquently worded book. The lives of people that make up our families both as children and adults are depicted in this story. The people are described and some are practically strangers and closed off to others. Some suffer mental illness. Some are superficial seekers of wealth, clueless to how to attain or maintain wealth. Some are self-made wealthy people who don't believe their wealth should pass to their children. Some seek solitary simple lives. All of these characters come together in the book beautifully and we see how each person behaves and expresses love.

[Mary Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Filled with forced symbols that seem stilted at times, I enjoyed much of It Might Have Been What He Said by Eden Collungsworth, but I cared little for 90% of the characters. A family drama with a philanderer for a husband, a son who seems to be on the higher functioning end of the spectrum (but this is never really addressed), and friends who seem remote, Isabel’s life is unraveling. My rating is a 3.7 out of 5.

[Shallan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The characters were stereotyped and underdeveloped, much like the stereotype itself of the analytical woman or the money grabbing man. It was strange how the utilization of pronouns was rare, and to use the characters by name in nearly every sentence, in which I found myself a bit annoyed at the writing style and prose used.

[Taryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just wasn’t in love with this book.

[Kimberly Wikel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intererrrrresting. 3.5-4 ⭐️. It jumped around a bit but I think that was the point.

[Heather Payne · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was mad at myself for wasting my time listening to this book on Audible. It was extremely long and drawn out, but I forced myself to
Listen until the end and then wondered why?

[Wanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok. Nothing great. I felt sorry for Isabella right to the end. A book that doesn't truly answer "Why dis you do...."

[K I · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audio book nicely read. Felt it ended abruptly.
Woman falls for a narcissist. He’s only interested in money & eventually leaves. Though he probably loves her.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast fun read.