I do not think posters on this thread are dismissing negative reviews and recommending they be ignored. Likewise, they are not embracing positive reviews and recommending that they be taken as gospel. They are simply saying, online reviews must be taken with a grain of salt. Well-written or not (and frankly they often are not), they do not give you the full picture.

And lolagrace is right - the best way to be sure you're hiring someone with whom you'll click is personal word of mouth. My best relationships with any professional have come from personal referrals.