As a debut author with no marketing plan—especially an independent debut author with no marketing plan—I doubted Opposite of Frozen would be read, much less reviewed. After all, a review represents an investment of money, time, and public commitment to a matter of taste. Any one of these three things can dissuade a reader from following through.
Thanks to a generous community of people, I’ve been proven wrong. OoF is slowly amassing signs of its consumption and enjoyment—or not, as the case may be. 😉 (My gratitude for all reader feedback, especially those people who’ve taken time to leave thoughtful comments!!)
But in a fit of proactivity, several months ago I submitted my book to Kirkus Reviews. I’ve redacted the plot spoilers, but here’s what they had to say:
O’Hara’s debut romance stars a former Major League Baseball superstar with a major chip on his shoulder, a woman with an aversion to commitment, and a raucous crew of elderly vacationers…
Although the younger couple’s will-they-or-won’t-they plot is good fun, it’s the “oldsters” who are the real heart of the novel… O’Hara shows a mastery of situational comedy, as when [redacted], as well as tragedy, as when [redacted]… If O’Hara’s next books are anything like this one, she’s got a long career ahead of her.
A sweet, heartfelt series love story.
The full review contains spoilers, so beware!!! But if you’d like to read it, here it is: Kirkus Reviews.
Looks like Opposite of Frozen will be in the January 2017 edition of their catalog. If anyone has access to it and would volunteer to take a screen capture or photo, would you kindly let me know?
What a fabulous public validation of your writing! Congratulations!!
Thank you for celebrating with me, Deborah. Hope all is well with you. xo
Congrats, Jan! I’m only about midway through (busy, busy few weeks here), but I thoroughly agree with their assessment. It’s great fun, with great characters, and is well-paced. But the best part is how often I find myself laughing. Yep, Big K got it right: there’s long career ahead. Can’t wait to see what’s next! 🙂
I hope you’re busy with good things, V. I’m honored when OoF consumes any time in people’s lives but am especially pleased to hear you’re enjoying it. <3
If we don’t connect otherwise, Merry Christmas!
Way to go, Jan! xoxo
Thanks so much, MJ. Appreciate you stopping by! xo
Looks fascinating. I like the idea of raucous elders!
Thanks, Joanne. I had a lot of fun writing them. Hopefully they are fun to read, too.
Congratulations, Jan. I loved-loved-loved Opposite of Frozen and can’t wait for your next release!
Thank you for the kind words and support, Sheila, including the tech end of publishing. I’m grateful!