I loved the book…but how do I write a review?

by | May 2, 2024 | Books, New release, review books, writing

This is a re-post of an older blog post I did after several readers asked me how to write a review on Amazon and other platforms. This doesn’t cover the actual posting part, just the writing part.

So here’s the post:

Reviews on Amazon and other websites are so important to an author. They help other readers find books that you enjoyed. If you loved the book, please consider writing a review!

“But I’m not a writer,” you say. “I’m nervous about writing a review.”

Here’s how to do it in a few very easy steps:

The Headline

Just a few words to kick off your review. You might use any of these categories to create your headline:

  1. Emotional response: “Loved this book!”
  2. Specific type of book: “Great small town romance!”
  3. Kind of character(s): “Hot billionaire.” or “Sassy heroine.”
  4. Endorsement:“Put this on your TBR list now!”

The Body.

Amazon recommends that you write between 75 and 500 words for a review. Their preferred minimum is 20, but if you give a book 5 stars and say, “This was one terrific read. I couldn’t put it down,” that is wonderful for the author.

Think about what you most liked about the book in one or more of these categories.

  1. Characters: Their job (veterinarian, chef, billionaire, office temp) and/or their qualities (cute, compassionate, sassy, angsty, tough).
  2. Setting: Small town, New York City, Mars, the mountains, the beach.
  3. Atmosphere: Light-hearted, dark and dangerous, sweet.
  4. Plot: Twisty, emotional, happy ending, straightforward.
  5. Writing: Vivid, poetic, spare, fast-paced, snappy dialogue.
  6. Premise: Small town girl meets high-powered businessman; marriage of convenience; Cinderella story; beauty and the beast.

You don’t have to answer all of these; just the one or two that really grabbed you.

Write the review. Fill in these blanks with the things you’ve thought about above.

I loved the (sassy heroine’s snarky dialogue)  and the (exotic setting in Bali).

OR

 (The hot billionaire) and (the sweet country girl) made a great couple in this (emotional romance with a wonderful happy ending).

OR

If you like (small town romance) you’ll love this story (set in the mountains of West Virginia) with a (sexy veterinarian) and an (ambitious lawyer.)

OR

Love (beauty and the beast stories)? Try this (futuristic fantasy romance)  set on (Mars) with a (dark, twisty plot).

See how easy it is? Just fill in the blanks!

The Summary line.

To round off your review, show your enthusiasm for the book with one of these kinds of comments.

  1. I read it in one sitting!
  2. I read it twice!
  3. I told all my friends to read this book!
  4. I can’t wait for the next book from this author!
  5. I highly recommend this book!

Just follow these easy guidelines and you’ll have a super review. Your favorite author will be so grateful to you for your support!