The Joy of a Good Review

Every time someone says "Your book got a review!" I get a case of nerves. Always dreading it'll get the worst rating, that someone will hate my darling and say so right there in black and white. It doesn't get easier. This week was a nice surprise. It's Jock Week over at Joyfully Jay, and the anthology Going For Gold (MLR Press) was up on the block. For three days, I worried. Then it received a 4.5 star review. WHEW! My story, Shoot for Gold received five stars. Talk about palpable relief.
The next time might not be so lucky, though.
What do you do when you get an unfavorable review?

Here's what the Joyfully Jay reviewer had to say:

Shoot For Gold  by Whitley Gray

Matt Justice is at the top of his game and favored to win gold in London in the shooting events. But an unfortunate accident involving lack of concentration, rain, and scaffolding puts his chances in jeopardy. Lucky for him, Levi Wolf, M.D. was nearby when Matt injured himself. Patching Matt’s face up and relieving the tension in his neck put was only the beginning for this pair. The immediate connection between them gives way to a night of passion that gives Matt hope that something may come of their tentative relationship. But Levi’s past haunts him and has for the past three years. Levi has to decide if he can leave the past behind him in order to move on before he loses any chance he may have had with Matt.

I really liked this story. For one, both characters are in their mid to late thirties so they have experience, maturity, and painful pasts. Matt and Levi’s story is one of risk. Taking a leap of faith to see what may or may not happen and risk gaining everything or losing it all. For such a short story, I thought the character building was superb. I really felt a connection between both MCs and liked Norm, Matt’s roommate, who was hilarious, by the way. The story was a little angsty, believable, and so sweet. Overall, it’s one of my favorites of this anthology. 5 stars

BUY: Amazon
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BIO:
Once upon a misspent youth, Whitley read and wrote stories under the covers at night. At some point, real life intervened, bringing with it responsibilities and a career in the medical field. After years of technical writing, Whitley became enamored of romance and took on the challenge of giving it a try. Inventing characters and putting them through paces in interesting ways turned out to be addictive, and along the way, Whitley discovered that two heroes is twice as nice. A pot of coffee, quiet, and a storyline featuring a couple of guys makes for a perfect day. Stop by www.whitleygray.com and feed your need for heat between the sheets with erotica and M/M romance.

Whitley
~Cops and doctors in hot water.