A Word About Reviews

I opened my e mail today and received my first review for NOBODY'S SAINT--a top pick from Romance Reader at Heart (http://romancereaderatheart.com/pubsandpromos/2005/mar05/NS_PR.html), and yes, it put a little spring in my step as I headed off to school. I try to keep reviews in perspective--just one person's opinion, and all that, but honestly, a writer never hears from the majority of her readers. This one person is one person whose opinions I actually get to find out, so it means something. So yes, I was pretty happy about that "top pick" rating.

The first of my reviews that I read was for INTO HIS ARMS in Romantic Times Bookclub, and I was surprised at how much it stung. It wasn't scathing or anything--three stars, an "enjoyable read." It was decidedly lukewarm. Now, since then I have received a number of reader e mails and met with readers' groups who all loved it, but it still stung. When I first decided to try to get published, I had braced myself for rejection from editors and agents. After all, they get a lot of manuscripts, many of them very good, but they just can't publish them all. I simply didn't think about reviews until I got the first one.

I don't live or die by reviews. I'm getting much more philosophical. No one can be everyone's cup of tea. I think the hardest thing about that first review was that, in reading the synopsis, I'm pretty sure that she didn't read the whole book. Oh yes, I'm well aware that it was my job to make her WANT to read the whole book, but RT is a pretty big publication. I just wish that the review had reflected the real story. The same reviewer read FOR HER LOVE, and still gave it three stars, but the synopsis was much more accurate, so somehow, it didn't hurt as badly. Hey, you read the book, you thought it was fairly enjoyable. I can live with that.

Of course, I still think that anyone who loves my books is brilliant. What can I say?