Thank you so much for participating in the awards. The entries all had something truly unique or special about them. However, there can only be one winner and just like a good steak, our judges must trim the fat.

Below, are the first round results for Romance.

Good luck to those continuing and thank you for your efforts to those who didn't make it through.

Judged by MiniMoxx

Entries that will not be making it through:

Falling by raggety
Title: 4 /5
Cover: 3 /5
Blurb: 6 /10
Hook: 7 /10
Total: 20 /30
Notes: The hook for me is good but could do with a bit of oomph, BUT it starts with characterisation and getting to the meet cute so felt instant. The title felt a bit common, but does suit the story. Cover could suit it better i think but i do like the art.

Fools and Geniuses by k_mathew
Title: 4 /5
Cover: 3 /5
Blurb: 5 /10
Hook: 3 /10
Total: 15 /30
Notes: (no more than 2 or 3 sentences) The cover is very plain, which isn't a bad thing, i just want to know more about the story with it. The blurb has some grammatical errors and feels very long. The first chapter is very hard to read with a lot of dense paragraphing and a lot of back story so to me, there's not much of a hook because the blurb doesn't match up to the first chapter either. It's also a fanfiction so i'm not sure who any of these characters are or how they are relevant - which is given to us in backstory but it's so hard to read as backstory and not the hook.

Living off the Edge by beautifulandmystery
Title: 4 /5
Cover: 3 /5
Blurb: 5 /10
Hook: 1 /10
Total: 13 /30
Notes: (no more than 2 or 3 sentences) The blurb has quite a lot of tense changes: blurbs should be in past tense until the end (which gives off the what happens next idea). The cover is okay - it just feels a little plain to me? The start feels very info-dumpy. And full of "anyway, and then...." and chatty. In any book, the narration isn't chatty like this. Lots of fragmented sentences, and there is no hook. The hook needs to be in the first chapter - and so far there's no meet cute, or mention of the plot. It's just women meeting and sharing news.

KYS by sodapopxtreme
Title: 3 /5
Cover: 3 /5
Blurb: 2 /10
Hook: 7 /10
Total: 15 /30
Notes: (no more than 2 or 3 sentences) The title is strange because its an acronym, I would personally just spell it out. "Kill Yourself" is also 2 words, so it doesn't quite work in my opinion. The cover is good, but it's hard to read and see; could do with some brightening and easier to read smaller fonts. The blurb is full of grammatical errors and awkward sentences so it is hard to understand. It also leaves me a little confused; is this a paranormal soulmate or a mafia story or both? The first chapter has some grammar issues as well, but the hook is there.

Mutual Denial by ThatPinnalPonnu
Title: 4/5
Cover: 3 /5
Blurb: 5 /10
Hook:7 /10
Total: 19 /30
Notes: (no more than 2 or 3 sentences) The blurb doesn't give much away. This doesn't give me much romance vibes, just a person trying to break away. It could give a little more away about the story especially giving us character names. The excerpt is short and doesn't work here either in my opinion. The prologue has grammatical issues, and could use some formatting and tidying up. BUT the hook is good and is there.

Pancha Prana by mysticalsiya1468
Title: 3 /5
Cover: 2 /5
Blurb: 4 /10
Hook: 2/10
Total: 11 /30
Notes: (no more than 2 or 3 sentences) The title feels so long to me. The cover is VERY dark i find it hard to read it or see the photo. Grammar issues in the blurb, and it feels really long winded and doesn't give us a romance novel feel. A lot of grammar issues in the first chapter, and the paragraphs feel very long for the platform. The translations in the text distract from the chapter - they could be formatted better and/or placed elsewhere. I'm not entirely sure what the hook is? I feel there's a marriage story here, but the blurb doesn't really mention that. It just feels like not much is happening.

A Virgin at 40 by Hadassaaaahh
Title: 3/5
Cover: 1/5
Blurb: 4/10
Hook: 1 /10
Total: 9 /30
Notes: (no more than 2 or 3 sentences) The cover could use some work. While the picture is okay, it doesnt tell me anything, the font is cut off and there is so much writing in it. The blurb while a good length, doesn't tell us much. Is this a romance? Slice of life? What status does she have that people care? Why does she have this deadline in the 21st century where people don't care about sexuality? It just doesn't tell me much at all, and this, doesn't make sense. The first chapter had a lot of grammatical issues, and there was a lot of dialogue and not a lot of scenery and characterisation. There was also POV changes mid chapter which is a general no-no. No page breaks, it just felt messy, and therefore I wasn't sure what the hook was. It felt really long with not much to hook me. I'm really sorry.

Sassy by OmaPhinaPhire
Title: 3/5
Cover: 0/5
Blurb: 2 /10
Hook: 0 /10
Total: 5 /30
Notes: (no more than 2 or 3 sentences) The cover is blurry and the typing is either cut off and not eligible because of the blur. The blurb doesn't tell me much, it's repetitive and full of emojis that put me off as a reader. It's also a mix of slang and old language and grammar errors. This story is a y/n story and as such has no hook; it isn't fiction. There are grammar errors and it is just there to titilate the reader. Sorry.

Date Me, Mr Archer by fantasizer16
Title: 3/5
Cover: 4/5
Blurb: 8 /10
Hook: 2 /10
Total: 17 /30
Notes: (no more than 2 or 3 sentences) The blurb is good, just a few awkward phrases that could do with tidying up. The fonts on the cover overlap and some of it is unreadable but on the whole good. Tenses are mixed up and some words are clunky in the first chapter, with a few grammatical errors. I'm not entirely sure what the hook actually is here because to me, it would be that text mentioned in the blurb, or the actual interview itself, not cut off. So to me there is no hook right now.

She is Lost by pretty_books8
Title: 0 /5
Cover:0 /5
Blurb: 0/10
Hook: 0/10
Total: 0/30
Notes: (no more than 2 or 3 sentences) DISQUALIFIED FOR NON PAYMENT

Books that are going through to the next round:

A Dying Man's Wish by HeidiCarroll
Title: 5 /5
Cover: 5 /5
Blurb: 9 /10
Hook: 9/ 10
Total: 28 /30
Notes: (no more than 2 or 3 sentences) My only critique of the title is that it's not capitalised (might be a style thing though!) Just a couple of spelling mistakes in the blurb and 1st chapter, nothing major. Hook is instant and takes us to that inciting incident.

Finding Chef's Kiss by JSPRomComs
Title: 5 /5
Cover: 4 /5
Blurb: 10 /10
Hook:9 /10
Total: 28 /30
Notes: (no more than 2 or 3 sentences) LOVING the play on words with the title. Cover is great, though i wonder if it could have something chef like on it? The hook is amazing, just a couple of tense issues near the end is all i could see! I also wondered if there could be a little more drooling when she looked at his photo to clash with that personality?

Love Between the Lines by Han_Banana21
Title: 5 /5
Cover: 4 /5
Blurb: 7 /10
Hook:10 /10
Total: 27 /30
Notes: (no more than 2 or 3 sentences) Loving the title and cover, just a little hard to read the author name and the smaller words in that colour font. The blurb feels a little heavy with detail, so I'd maybe chop it down a little to give it some mystery? The hook is AMAZING. It gives us everything we need in that first chapter, and I'm already hooked.

PRANK MANIA by cocoamelon23
Title: 5 /5
Cover: 4 /5
Blurb: 7 /10
Hook: 9 /10
Total: 25 /30
Notes: (no more than 2 or 3 sentences) The cover is a little chaotic, but you know what? It goes with the title. The blurb feels quite long so I'd consider chopping it down and giving it some more mystery. The hook is really intriguing and mysterious, which i really like.

Russian Roulette: Flashbacks by TheAlixDavenport
Title: 4 /5
Cover: 5 /5
Blurb: 8 /10
Hook: 5 /10
Total: 22 /30
Notes: (no more than 2 or 3 sentences) I like the blurb, but I'm not entirely sure about the repeat of 'the', if you take 'the' out of those lines of the flashbacks, i think it might be hookier? There were a few spots of repetitiveness in the first chapter which just slightly made me pause a few times. The chapter felt so long and for me, had a slight hook, but not one that felt immediate. Having not read the next chapter, i feel like you could probably start moments before the wedding for a better hook? But I havent yet read that far, so just some thoughts!

Never Summer Again by daniavons
Title: 4 /5
Cover: 4 /5
Blurb: 7.5 /10
Hook: 10 /10
Total: 25.5 /30
Notes: (no more than 2 or 3 sentences) I think the blurb could be so much better if it wasn't in the format it is in. The contents are hooking, but i think the format and the way it's written in 1st person could be improved; i think personally, it doesn't do the actual content justice right now. I couldn't read the subtitles on the cover, but the actual cover is nice. The first chapter was HOOKING. There were a few stray grammar errors, but the actual hook was amazing. I really enjoyed it.

A Marriage Most Inconvenient by zeen2805
Title: 5 /5
Cover: 4 /5
Blurb: 5 /10
Hook: 7 /10
Total: 21 /30
Notes: (no more than 2 or 3 sentences) I think the blurb is very long and some of it could be merged into that final paragraph where the hook lies. The hook felt interesting, but for me, it could've been cut half way through. Though the chapter length wasn't physically long, i felt the hook lay in the first half of the chapter. Also, a page break could be a good addition.

In My Skin by Korra_99
Title: 5 /5
Cover: 5 /5
Blurb: 8.5 /10
Hook: 10 /10
Total: 28.5 /30
Notes: (no more than 2 or 3 sentences) The blurb is really interesting; i just think some of the shorter sentences could be put together for easier flow. The hook is amazing. It's full of suspense, suspicions and introduces us perfectly to the story.

Hetty and Ryan by UnbalancedMom333
Title: 3/5
Cover: 3/5
Blurb: 9 /10
Hook: 9 /10
Total: 24 /30
Notes: (no more than 2 or 3 sentences) The cover could be more obvious that they're passing notes as stated in the blurb, otherwise its good. The blurb gives us the plot, so yeah, good! In the first chapter there seems to be random page break where there shouldn't be - or so it reads that way. The hook is intriguing though, and i'd just like a little bit more 'oomph' as though the hook is there, it feels like there could be more OMG moments other than them just meeting "ordinarily" if you know what i mean.

You-Always by LNRoberts1
Title: 4 /5
Cover: 3 /5
Blurb: 8 /10
Hook: 10 /10
Total: 25 /30
Notes: (no more than 2 or 3 sentences) So i like the cover, but personally, i think it would be better if SHE was on the cover, or a couple. But this is also just personal taste. I just don't think it suits the blurb. As a note, I used the prologue as a hook because i think they should count in reading any form. The prologue is misspelt in the chapter title. However, the hook is excellent. It leaves me wanting to know more, needing to know what happened and makes me want to turn the page.

Once again, congratulations to all who made it to the second round!

Good luck as you progress!