Review: A note to Ms. Via
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 04 2, 2014
Ms. Via, I don’t know if you read these reviews, but I wanted to try to be constructive in my response to Nothing Special.1- Your characters were well done and felt developed. They were engaging, and I wanted to find out how their story would unfold.2- The premise of your story was good. The initial set up – introducing the characters, the relationship of the partners, the relationship of Cash and his family, the tipping points in all the relationships – was done very successfully.3- There was a point when I felt we were at the denouement, ready to pull things together towards closure. I looked down and found there was still nearly a third of the book remaining. The majority of what came after that point – the promotions, the “new relationships” with friends, etc. – was superfluous to the story that you had been telling.4- I struggled a bit with the authenticity of the police experience, both in the station and in the field. That may just be me. Perhaps the least believable parts for me were the kisses and “I love you’s” in the captain’s office. I feel that response just does not fit with that work environment.5- You need editorial support; spell-check is not enough. Their is not the same as there. Your is not the same as you’re. Necks were griped instead of gripped. There were a few sentences that made no sense. There were references that were a bit off-step, such as, “This isn’t ***** Mulberry, Jax.” It’s likely you meant Mayberry. On another occasion, Day was making a red sauce for chicken tetrazzini. Perhaps you meant chicken cacciatore? Not one of these was a deal-breaker on its own, but there were multiple, multiple instances. Each time, it makes the reader fall out of your carefully constructed world.Thank you for sharing your story, and thank you for being willing to listen.