Should you promote a 1-star review? I think so! Remember, you can't please everyone:





Okay it's here and I'm fine! Why, you ask? Because the last two reviews were so opposite each other, I can’t help but laugh! I’ve read all the reviews for all the bestsellers and the one thing I learned is you CANNOT please everyone. Just write your best story and let the readers decide.
G Winters is partially correct, by the way. Jordan is controlling and protective; he’s a cop. He’s seen a lot of bad stuff in his life, and he only wants to protect the ones he loves.
Lisa is also partially correct, by the way. Jordan is chivalrous and kind and will do anything for Jaynee, even let her go if that’s what she wants.
Jaynee has been emotionally abused her entire life, so when Jordan walks into her life…well, I’ll let you decide.

These are the very last two reviews out of 28, and as I said. I had to laugh, because the last reviewer claimed Jordan is abusive and the prior reviewer had remarked that he was chivalrous and that Jaynee mistreated him. My joy comes from the fact that both of my characters were so believable, as other readers mentioned, that they actually elicited such a reaction from both women. Notice the readers don't attack the writing as much as they attack my characters.
So please read both of the reviews and decide for yourself. I also pasted, in order of readers' rank, other reviews below. I hope this helps authors to accept a one-star rating as what it is--one person's opinion.

And if you are interested, the publisher discounted She Belongs to Me, through this weekend only, to .99 cents, in celebration of my new release Land of the Noonday Sun.

1.0 out of 5 stars I just couldn't get through it, June 6, 2012
By
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This review is from: She Belongs To Me (Kindle Edition)
It's not often that I just give up on a book but this one was just so terrible. I will often just speed read through books that I don't particularly like; however, I honestly couldn't get through this one. I kept trying because I felt that something "good" was going to happen in the story but it just never did. The characters are just so terrible. The husband, who is supposed to be the good guy, comes across as controlling, bordering on emotionally abusive. Maybe there is something worthwhile, maybe the husband isn't a jerk, maybe the "secrets" are worth all of the dull build-up at the end but I will probably never find out because it was just too painful to read.



4.0 out of 5 stars A lovely romance story worth reading, June 4, 2012
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This review is from: She Belongs To Me (Paperback)
I very much enjoyed this lovely romance story. I especially enjoyed Jaynee's and Jordan's interactions together, although I favored Jordan more because of his chivalry, and disliked Jaynee mistreatment of him. I was confused at first when we were taken back in time, but once I understood the idea, it became an easier read. The author did a good job in her set up of the story, and tying it all together in the end. I wished there had been a bit more sensuality shown in Jordan's and Jaynee's lovemaking. Overall, the story was excellently written and worth reading. I'd recommend this story without any qualms. I look forward to reading more from this very talented author, Carmen DeSousa.


More Reviews
To be fair, I picked reviews that readers thought were the most helpful, not me. ☺


17 of 19 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful love story!, March 11, 2012
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This review is from: She Belongs To Me (Kindle Edition)
After a rough start in life Jaynee has decided to put herself first and focus on herself and her education. She's not looking for love but when sexy and confident Jordan lands in her seating area one night at work there's no denying the instant chemistry between them. This story is filled with romance, anticipation and mystery. I really enjoyed the character development and the dialogue between everyone. Right from the beginning I felt like I could relate to Jaynee. The only thing I didn't like was the wedding planning. I don't want to spoil anything but I will just say I wish she had more involvement. I absolutely loved how the author gave us a look into their future. A lot of times I get to the end of a book and think, "but I want to know what happens next!" I'm a romance junkie and highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a wonderful love story. Five Stars all the way!

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Romance, mystery and great characters!, January 17, 2012
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This review is from: She Belongs To Me (Kindle Edition)
Jaynee ends up shot just outside her home, her loving husband finding her. As she lies in a coma, a distraught Jordan must untangle the threads of her recent days to find out why she shot herself. Or did she? For Jaynee wasn't the only one keeping secrets ... and one of those secrets is deadly. Can he find the truth before a killer strikes again?


I really enjoyed this book, and it's not explicit, so teenagers as well as those with delicate sensibilities will like it. You'll be swept off your feet along with Jaynee as she discovers the man of her dreams. You'll be drawn into the drama. And you'll flip the pages fast as Jordan must desperately figure out the truth in time. I was and did!





5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars She Belongs....on the SCREEN!, April 16, 2012
This review is from: She Belongs To Me (Kindle Edition)
A beautiful woman that has suffered countless difficulties in her life, finally beginning to accept the lonesome existence she seems doomed wander alone. A strong, stoic man that has hidden his inner desires for true love under the guise of "building a career." A divinely inspired encounter that leads to previously unknown happiness for both of them.


And one unknown killer that wants to ruin it all.


Carmen DeSousa has written an incredibly stunning book, full of spot on visuals that put you in the midst of the conversations, like a ghostly guest that spies on a romantic dinner date. The love that builds slowly up between Jaycee and Jordan is written just steamy enough to hold your attention, but full of enough decorum as not to be considered overdone.


Of course, then you add the mystery and suspense aspects that leave you turning the page in the middle of the night, promising yourself "just one more chapter" coupled with delicately interwoven life lessons about faith, love and hope, and you have a book that is made for the big screen!


If you love suspenseful tales like I do, and keep you grappling between characters as you try to pinpoint the perpetrator, then this book is certainly for you!


And then just for good measure, I threw in two four-star reviews.




4.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing romantic suspense, May 5, 2012
By
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This review is from: She Belongs To Me (Kindle Edition)
The story opens with lots of intriguing questions. The prologue begins after Jordan and Jaynee have been married for 5 years and she has just been shot. Then we jump back to when they first met. Jordan makes me melt. He is sweet, thoughtful, caring, kind, with a streak of possessiveness and protectiveness. Jaynee puzzles me. I still don't feel I completely understand her. She has lots of secrets. Their love story is so sweet, though. The story shifts back and forth between the present and how they met and I loved that. Details are slowly revealed, but more questions come up along the way to make you wonder. This is a great book if you are looking for something you can't put down until you figure out all of the answers.


1 of 3 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars she belongs to me carmen desousa, January 3, 2012
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: She Belongs To Me (Kindle Edition)
when I open a book and meet the characters, feeling that I know them as real people makes for a great story to me. carmen Desousa acomplished this in the first few pages. As a new author I am also impressed with her ability in writing romance, leaving the readers to use their own imagination. And the mystery of the story gets me to open the book in the first place.



About me:

I write modern-day fairytales filled with romance, mystery, and suspense. All of my novels are sensual, but not erotic, gripping but not graphic and will hopefully make you cry, laugh, love, and hope. You can find my books at Amazon in ebook and print.

I love talking about all things books, so please connect with me via one of the links below.





Books available:


When two strangers have nothing left but their dreams, they must forge a relationship in Nantahala, North Carolina, a small town known as Land of the Noonday Sun.


After secrets and a mysterious background leave a wife’s life hanging by a thread, a husband must look for answers in the only place he knows—the past.

My books are available in the UK:

2 comments:

  1. I think your bold to share a review like that.

    But it is true, you can't please everyone. To me, an author willing to show the flip side of what a customer has to say is showing they are an honest person. There's no false advertising...I can think of one book right now that has a serious run of negative remarks yet is a number 1 best seller, go figure. But I will name no names.

    The point is, something in your writing will rub a reader the wrong way. If it does, then it's probably due to the readers personal experiences. But if a majority of your reviews say 4-5 star, then that's pretty much stating what the majority think. One negative means nothing to me. I personally gave the book 5 stars because I liked the writing style. It was fresh, new, and kept me guessing. I feel the same way about your latest novel, Land of the Noonday Sun. And after reading the sample of the next book, Difficult Decisions....oh yeah, can't wait!

    Good luck, Carmen!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Carmen,

    I like your take on the review thing. Its interesting the character attacks reviewers give.

    Yep! I have learnt a lot this year by reading the one star reviews. It certainly puts things into a better perspective, and to laugh is all one can do!

    But really, how else do we express what is going on in society if one can't write about the abuse of women real or imagined and their growth?

    I read an author who wrote her character as being in a abusive relasionship, and the reader gave her less stars, for she saw the character as weak. This troubled me that the character was judged so, instead of on the merit of the entire story.

    Its like saying, I couldn't stand Mary the character wearing the same pink dress for two days, so I gave the book two stars.

    Well, you have some nice reviews and mentions!

    Good luck with your new book.

    ReplyDelete