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.
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
Amazon Verified
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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
By
Amazon Verified
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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
Amazon Verified
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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
Amazon Verified
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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
By
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 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
Amazon Verified
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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
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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.
I think your bold to share a review like that.
ReplyDeleteBut 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!!!!
Hi Carmen,
ReplyDeleteI 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.