A good review request is short, honest, and asks for an opinion rather than a favor: say the book is out, explain why a review helps, and ask for an honest one, whatever the reader thinks. Below are templates for the situations that come up most, all written to stay within Amazon's rules and the FTC's rules on reviews. Swap in your own voice and details before you send them.
See Amazon's Review Rules for Authors for the do's and don'ts behind these templates.
Use this in your back matter, right after the final page.
Thank you for reading [Book Title]. If you enjoyed it — or even if you didn't — I'd be grateful for an honest review wherever you left this. Reviews help other readers find books like this one, and every one means a lot to an independent author.
[Link to review page]
Hi [Name],
[Book Title] has been out for [a few weeks / a month], and I wanted to ask a small favor. If you've read it, would you consider leaving an honest review on [Amazon / Goodreads]? It only takes a couple of minutes, and it makes a real difference for an independent author like me.
Here's the direct link: [link]
Thank you, whether you've already left one or this is a nudge to get to it.
[Your name]
Hi [Name],
I'm putting together a small group of advance readers for my upcoming book, [Book Title], a [genre] releasing on [date]. It's about [one-sentence premise].
If you'd like an advance copy, I can send you [a PDF / an EPUB] ahead of the release. In return, I'd just ask for an honest review once the book is live — whatever you genuinely think, good or bad. No obligation, and totally fine if it's not for you.
Let me know if you're interested, and thank you either way!
[Your name]
Hi [Name],
Just a quick note: [Book Title] is live as of [date]! If you're able to post your review now, here's the link: [link]. If you disclose that you received an advance copy, that's appreciated but entirely up to how your platform handles it.
Thank you again for reading early. It means a lot.
[Your name]
[Book Title] is out today! If you've read it, I'd love an honest review on [Amazon/Goodreads] — link in bio. And if you haven't read it yet, [one line about the book]. Thank you for the support!
Hi everyone,
I wanted to let this group know that [Book Title] is now available. If it's the kind of book your group enjoys, I'd love for you to consider it, and if anyone reads it, an honest review anywhere you post reviews would be appreciated. Happy to answer questions about the book if it's helpful.
Dear [Name],
I'm reaching out because your [blog/publication/library] covers [genre/topic], and I thought [Book Title] might be a fit. It's a [genre] releasing on [date], about [one or two sentence premise].
I'd be glad to send an advance copy if you're interested in reading and possibly reviewing it. No obligation either way, and I completely understand if it's not the right fit right now.
Thank you for considering it.
[Your name]
A newsletter to your own readers can be warmer and more personal. A cold email to a blogger or librarian should be shorter, more professional, and easy to say no to. Match the length and formality of the request to the relationship.
Asking readers individually takes time, and it doesn't scale well if you're trying to reach reviewers you don't already know. Entrada's ARC review service handles the outreach for you: for a one-time fee of $155, your book goes out to bloggers, journalists, librarians, and other influencers whose interests match your genre, and we personally follow up with everyone interested.
Let Us Handle the Outreach
Entrada's ARC review service puts your book in front of bloggers, journalists, librarians, and other influencers who match your genre, so you don't have to send these requests one by one.