My husband knows everything about my books inside and out, but he never read any of them. He doesn't have to, but reads me perfectly so I give him a pass on it. lol
I'm not sure if my husband has written anything I've written. He likes to read true crime (serial murderers, gangs, etc) and fantasy/horror/sci-fi, but I generally write Golden Age-type detective stories, with the occasional whatever-punk/magical-girl fantasy thrown in for when I'm in the mood. I think I once left him a book with my story bookmarked in it, and I think he might have read it, but he never said a word about what he thought, and I didn't pry if he wasn't going to say anything voluntarily.
Instead, I generally say something like, "I sold another story." And he's like, "High five!" And then I'll leave the check or the contributor's copies lying on the table for a few days when they arrive.
I recently was talking to a friend about my writing and I casually asked what they thought about my writing style. She said she bought all my books but admitted to not reading them. Her reason was, "the might suck". Of course that flippant remark hurt. She later admitted she chose her words poorly and finally told me she was afraid to read them because if she didn't like them, that I would not like her anymore.
I explained to her that her honest opinion was just that, but that she should at least give it a shot before passing judgement. Hopefully she'll give me her assessment soon. Whether she loves it or hates it, she's still my friend.
Anyone else have to deal with this problem?