To Rewrite/Republish or not?

I didn’t have any author/publisher friends or any knowledge of publishing when I wrote my first book. I work in a building materials industry. I didn’t even know where to go for expertise on the matter. I wrote a book for my niece’s birthday and a co-worker talked me into publishing it. That’s when I began this path.

Since then I’ve heard Thomas’s advice on “never publish your first book”. Too late! I did write a lot before that first book, but never had anyone to show or get critiques with it.

I purchased covers from 100 Covers and plan on updating my debut book cover, but should I rewrite it? Get a developmental editor that I didn’t have back then? I did pay a regular “jack-of-all” type editor I met on LinkedIn for the first publishing.

My debut book to this day still has more reviews and high ratings than any of my books. Does it hurt the readers who liked the book to see a newer one released into the world? Is it “counterfeit” as one author said of those who put out newer revamped versions of their books. Does it make readers who liked the book think I don’t cherish their opinions?

I asked one of the fans of that book, whose daughter loved the book, and to this day is my cheerleader as a result. She says, “Yes, it would be great to edit/revamp.” She’s basically my Timothy, until I find more.

Opinions?