I feel much better now...

Jillian's Job received a fabulous review from Joyfully Reviewed (Patrice F.) a while back, and I couldn't help but re-read it to pull myself out of the doldrums. It is marvelous to hear a reviewer extol your virtues and rave about your book.

Authors put so much effort and sweat and tears into the books we write, and it really is amazing how great it makes us feel to know that at least one person has just added us to their "must-buy" list.

Now, Jillian's Job sold quite well for a month or so, until it vanished into my back-list to wait for readers to wander over and find it. It is truly unfortunate how some of our best books end up languishing in the dark, hopeful for a ray of light to enter their solitude. Take, for instance, Out of Her Dreams, which garnered the highest number of five-rated reviews of all my books. it was my debut book. I waited in terror for the first review to come out, firmly believing that it was a total flop, simply because not a single review showed up the first month it was out. Then after chewing my nails to the quick, I got my first review, from JERR (Just Erotic Romance Reviews)...and I almost fell over to see that it a five-star review, with a heat rating of Orgasmic. Authors can become nervous wrecks hoping their books won't tank.

Here is the review for Jillian's Job from JR:

Jillian has had it with domineering chauvinistic boss, Mike Furie. Who cares if he is the wealthiest, sexiest man alive? He’s a jerk! As his highly paid PA, she has given up any chance of having a real life. And for what? He doesn’t even see her as a woman! Seven years of cleaning up his messes has driven her to the brink. He calls her at the last moment to fly to Aspen to run interference on a man-eating model. It’s the last straw. She’s done and plans to tell him where to stick his job. The last thing she expects is to wake up naked next to very man she hates—and who makes her crazy for him in every way.

This story made my head spin leaving in its wake a few other embarrassing reactions, which means I was nuked by a devilishly steamy read. Fran Lee, where have you been all my contemporary-romance-reading-life? After reading Jillian’s Job, it is time for me to backtrack and devour anything else Ms. Lee has published. This is a combo of Two Weeks Notice meets Sex in the City! Hmmm. Maybe we should add some extra sizzling heat to that description. Turn it up by another 100 degrees with a doubled heat index that would make a Texan wince. Jill and Mike duke it out, make-up, and get down into some heavy action that won’t quit. There’s more to this powerhouse pair than just the hot-off-the-printers-sex. Neither are just a pretty face and a fat checkbook. The character development more than makes up for the gratuitous sex scenes—ahem, you don’t see me complaining. My chief complaint is that this torrid tale was not longer. What a tease! I wanted more from this delightfully talented author with the wicked imagination. Who says contemporary romance is dead? With creative writing like Ms. Lee, I’d say it’s time for me to take a break from my paranormal sci-fi fix (like now) and catch up on the progressive goodies under this genre. Ellora’s Cave, take a bow for snatching up this gifted lady and sharing her with what I’m sure will be an ever-growing mountain of fans and readers. ...Patrice F.

Now, I have always tried not to get bent out of shape when one of my books gets a less than stellar review. Authors (most of us) tend to feel that anything less than a four-heart or four-star review means the book sucks. Au contraire, mon ami. (That's French for "no way, Jose".)

A three or better means that your book was good. Maybe not spectacular, but a good, satisfying read. And you must remember that no two reviewers will ever see your book exactly the same. Where one reviewer may give your book a good solid four rating, another may decide it was not as good as that. One reviewer gave my menage shifter a 3.5, yet she raved about how great it was. Hmmm... /:}

So just try to remember that reviews are simply one person's opinion...and if your book got less that you hoped for in ratings, don't throw the babies out with the bathwater just yet. I read a book I absolutely adored. Then saw a very poor review for the book. Huh? That review certainly didn't stop me from buying. And hopefully, my lousy low reviews won't stop you from buying, either. :)

Take care and enjoy the weekend!

Fran
http://www.franleeromance.com