The most reliable way to get book reviews as a self-published author is to put your book in the hands of genuine readers and ask them, without conditions, for an honest opinion: through an advance reader (ARC) team, a short request in the book’s back matter, your newsletter and reputable ARC services. You can give free copies, but you cannot pay for reviews, offer rewards for them, ask friends or family to post them, or ask for positive ones.

This guide includes a few product links near the end. As an Amazon Associate, Freyja Publishing earns from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.

This guide explains why reviews matter, the legitimate methods compared side by side, how to run an ARC team step by step, exactly what Amazon’s rules allow, the laws that now apply to fake reviews, and how to handle criticism without damaging your reputation.

At a glance

• Free copies are allowed; requiring a review, or a positive one, is not.
• No reviews from people close to you: Amazon bars reviews from anyone with a personal or financial connection to the author.
• Your best sources are readers who chose your book: ARC teams, newsletter subscribers and people who reach the end of the book.
• Fake reviews are now a legal risk, not only a platform risk, in the US and many other countries.
• Don’t argue with reviewers. Reviews are for readers, not for authors.

Why reviews and ratings matter

Shoppers look at a cover, read the description and then check what other readers said. Reviews answer the question a blurb can’t: did people like it? A book with a healthy number of thoughtful reviews looks safer to try than one with none, which is why reviews help convert the traffic your marketing sends.

They also open doors. Some promotion services, including curated deal newsletters, consider review count and quality when choosing books, so a solid base of honest reviews makes later marketing easier. See whether a BookBub Featured Deal is worth it for one example. Amazon doesn’t publish how its ranking works, so treat reviews as a sales and trust signal rather than a ranking trick.

Two terms are worth separating. On Amazon, a rating is a star score with no text; a review includes written comments. Goodreads keeps its own separate ratings and reviews. All of them count for readers, and written reviews usually persuade more.

Legitimate ways to get reviews, compared

Method	Cost	Effort	Best for	Watch out for
Back-matter request	Free	Low, set once	Every book, every format	Keep it short and ask only for honesty
Newsletter request	Free	Low	Authors with an engaged list	Send after readers have had time to finish
Your own ARC team	Free (delivery tools optional)	Medium	Series and regular releases	Reviews must be voluntary; screen out connected people
ARC services (for example BookSirens, Booksprout, NetGalley)	Paid listings, varying by service	Low to medium	Reaching new reviewers in your genre	Check each service’s rules and review quality
Goodreads giveaways	Paid listing fee	Low	Visibility and “want to read” shelving	Winners aren’t obliged to review
Book bloggers and reviewers	Free copy	High (research and pitching)	Niche genres and non-fiction	Follow each blogger’s submission rules
Paid editorial reviews (trade review services)	Paid; fees vary by service	Low	Library, bookshop and award submissions	These are editorial reviews, not Amazon customer reviews

Editorial reviews and trade quotes can usually be displayed in your book’s Editorial Reviews section (not the description) or editorial reviews section, but they never appear as customer reviews.

How to run an ARC team: step by step

1. Recruit from readers, not contacts. Invite newsletter subscribers and members of your reader community. Exclude friends, relatives, colleagues and anyone with a business link to you.
2. Explain the deal clearly. “You’ll get a free early copy. If you’d like to, please post an honest review, positive or negative, after launch.” No pressure, no conditions.
3. Collect only what you need: name, email, preferred format and which stores they review on. Store it securely and follow the privacy rules where you and your readers live.
4. Deliver the copy three to four weeks before launch, using a delivery tool or direct file so readers can open it easily.
5. Remind once at launch with direct links to the book’s pages on each store.
6. Ask reviewers to disclose that they received a free copy, as consumer-protection guidance in many countries expects.
7. Thank everyone, whatever they wrote. Never remove someone from the team because their review was critical.
8. Refresh the team before each launch, and quietly drop inactive readers rather than chasing them.

Your ARC team is a central part of a launch plan; see our book launch strategy guide for timing.

A back-matter request that works

Put a short, honest request on the page right after “The End”, while the reader still feels the story: “If you have a moment, an honest review on the store where you bought this book helps other readers decide whether it’s for them. Thank you for reading.” Then add a link to the next book. In ebooks, link to the review page if the store allows; in print, keep it as text.

Questions to ask before paying for an ARC service

• Does it deliver copies to readers who choose your book, or does it promise a set number of reviews? Avoid any promise of reviews.
• Does it require reviewers to disclose free copies and allow negative reviews?
• Does it attract readers in your genre? Browse its current listings to see.
• Which stores do its reviewers post on, and which countries are they in?
• What does it cost per book or per month, and what do you get if few readers sign up?

Reviews outside Amazon

If you publish wide, ask ARC readers to post wherever they buy or borrow: Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Google Play and Goodreads all show reader ratings. Goodreads is especially useful because many readers check it before buying anywhere, and you can claim your author profile there to keep book details accurate.

What’s allowed and what isn’t

Amazon’s community guidelines are the strictest most authors face, and following them keeps you safe on other platforms too.

Allowed	Not allowed
Giving free or discounted advance copies	Requiring a review in exchange, or trying to influence its rating
Asking readers for an honest review	Asking for a five-star or positive review
Thanking reviewers in general terms	Gift cards, prizes, bonus content or entries in a draw tied to leaving a review
Reviews from readers you’ve never met	Reviews from family, friends, colleagues or business associates
Authors reviewing books they genuinely read, with no connection	Review swaps, review groups and reviewing your own or a competitor’s books
Reporting reviews that break the rules	Using several accounts or coordinating people to post or vote on reviews

Amazon also limits who can review: on Amazon.com, a customer must have spent at least US$50 with a valid card in the past 12 months, excluding promotional discounts. That is why some of your keenest readers may be unable to post, and it is not something you can fix for them.

The law on fake reviews

In the US, the Federal Trade Commission’s rule banning fake reviews and testimonials took effect on 13 October 2024. It prohibits buying fake reviews, offering incentives conditioned on a positive or negative sentiment, and undisclosed reviews from company insiders, and it allows civil penalties for violations. The UK, the EU and other jurisdictions also treat fake or concealed incentivised reviews as unfair commercial practices. The practical rule worldwide is the same: never buy, swap, condition or fake a review.

Handling criticism and bad reviews

Every book that sells will collect some low ratings; they show that real readers found it. Mixed reviews also help the right readers self-select, which can reduce refunds and returns.

• Don’t reply on retail sites. Even polite replies can look defensive, and arguing can follow you for years.
• Look for patterns, not wounds. If several reviewers mention the same issue (slow opening, typos, a misleading blurb), fix what you can in a new upload.
• Report only genuine breaches, such as spoilers without warning, abuse or reviews about delivery rather than the book.
• Thank readers in general through your newsletter or social posts, without naming or rebutting anyone.
• Look after yourself. Many authors stop reading reviews after launch week and ask a trusted person to summarise useful patterns.

Putting your reviews to work

Reviews do most of their work on the sales page, but once you have a few, you can use them carefully in the rest of your marketing. The key is to stay accurate and to put each kind of praise in the place the rules allow.

• Keep quotes out of your KDP description. KDP’s book description rules list reviews, quotes and testimonials, and requests for customer reviews, among the things a description must not contain. Editorial praise from trade reviewers, bloggers or other authors belongs in the Editorial Reviews section of your book page, which you can manage through Amazon Author Central where that feature is available.
• Add a praise page inside the book. A short “Praise for” page in the front matter of later editions or later books in a series is a common, allowed place for a few strong lines.
• Quote readers accurately. On your website, in your newsletter, on social media or in ad images, use a reviewer’s words without changing their meaning or stitching phrases together. Credit them honestly (for example “reader review” or the blog’s name), and ask bloggers before quoting them at length. Misleading quotes can breach consumer-protection law as well as platform rules.
• Mine reviews for reader language. The words readers use to praise a book (a trope, a mood, a comparison) are often better hooks than the ones authors write. Note them for your description, keyword ideas and ad copy.
• Use patterns to plan the next book. Recurring praise tells you what to keep; recurring complaints tell you what to fix or to signal more clearly in the blurb.

Whatever you share, never reward readers for a review or point them to it in exchange for anything, and keep thanking reviewers in general terms rather than singling out the glowing ones.

Common mistakes

• Asking friends and family to “help out”. Those reviews can be removed, and repeated breaches can affect your account.
• Tying a bonus or prize to reviews. Even small rewards break Amazon’s rules.
• Using a service that guarantees reviews. If a service promises a number of positive reviews, avoid it.
• Sending ARCs too late. Readers need time to finish before launch.
• Chasing reviewers repeatedly. One reminder is enough.
• Removing critical reviewers from the ARC team. That turns honest feedback into conditional feedback.
• Relying on reviews to fix a weak product. If the cover, blurb or categories are wrong, reviews won’t rescue sales; see how to market your self-published book.

Sources this guide draws on: Amazon Community Guidelines on reviews, eligibility and conflicts of interest; the US Federal Trade Commission’s final rule on consumer reviews and testimonials (2024), as summarised by Davis Wright Tremaine.

FAQ

How many reviews does a book need?

There is no official threshold on Amazon. A handful of thoughtful reviews already helps shoppers decide, and some promotion services look for a stronger base before featuring a book. Focus on steady, honest reviews from real readers.

Can my friends and family review my book on Amazon?

No. Amazon doesn’t allow reviews from people with a personal or financial connection to the author, including friends, relatives and business associates. Ask them to tell people about the book instead.

Is it allowed to give away free copies for reviews?

You can give free or discounted copies and ask for an honest review, but you can’t require a review in exchange or try to influence what it says. Reviewers should mention that they received a free copy.

Why did Amazon remove reviews of my book?

Amazon removes reviews it believes break its guidelines, for example where it detects a connection between reviewer and author, coordinated reviewing or incentives. It doesn’t usually explain individual decisions; you can contact KDP support, but it rarely reverses them.

Should I respond to negative reviews?

Generally no. Reviews are for other readers, and replies tend to look defensive. Note any useful patterns, fix what you can and move on.

Reviews come from readers who finish your book and care enough to say so. Make that easy with a clear back-matter request, an honest ARC team and a newsletter that keeps readers close, and stay well inside the rules. For a steady supply of new readers, pair this with an email list built for the long term, and see our author toolkit for ARC delivery and newsletter tools.