Do readers and writers like ratings in book reviews?

This question was initially asked by Sassy Brit over at the Alternative Reads group, so a big shout out to Sassy for raising this interesting question! We're most all of us here readers, writers, or both. Do you, as an author, prefer to have your books reviewed with or without a rating system? As a reader do you prefer to read reviews that also include a personal rating?

As for myself, I don't go nuts on the subject or anything, but am mindful that ratings are subjective to each reader and three out of five on a book rating system means something a little different to different people. Also, when ratings are based on a possible five star (or rose, or ribbons, or lips, what-have-you) rating system, it's sort of damning a book with faint praise when a reviewer gives two or three or even four out of five stars. What does only three and half stars (or roses, what-have-you) really mean, anyway? Read it? Don't read it? Toss a coin to decide? I'd almost rather have a more clear cut, thumbs up/thumbs down edict on my book than a lukewarm rating endorsement by a reviewer. And as a reader, I dislike ambiguity in book reviews - I want to KNOW where to spend my five to ten bucks (or Euros, what-have-you) Anyway, that's my opinion, as a writer and a reader. Unless someone give my book a five our five, then I'm all for it! Ha. I look forward to hearing what everyone else has to say on the subject. Lemme know!

Thanks!

Belle

The best piece of romance advice I ever got

When I was crushed because the high school football team captain actually started ducking me in the halls to avoid being daily ambushed by my gooey-eyed, oh-so-obvious flirting signals, my father gave me the best piece of romance advice I've ever heard. "The best way to land a man," he said, "is to let him chase you until you catch him."

And now, it's sharing time. What's the best piece of romance advice you ever got?