Well, since I come from a big boisterous Irish-American family and I write about a big boisterous Irish immigrant family, there's definitely some real-life anecdotes that creep into my work. But don't worry, family, no names are revealed!
I do read them. I think that all feedback is valid. There are very few people who write a critique or review to deliberately hurt the creator or the work. I don’t deny that I sometimes react badly to a negative review at first (I have a tendency to stomp around a bit). But just like paintings and sculpture, not every novel will appeal to every person, and realizing that helps me keep it all in perspective.
Of course, I prefer a reviewer to provide an explanation for what they like or don’t like -- that type of comments are more helpful. I might not agree and I might not change anything, or I might consider a change based on their feedback. I’m always willing to consider a well-thought-out critique.
