The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Bagels & Salsa
Because Bagels & Salsa was Book of the Day, some of our most trusted members have carefully looked over the cover, the description, and other aspects of this book as a part of purchase-intent focus group. We then asked each participant in the focus group if they planned to buy and read the book, and why they planned to buy and read the book or not. Their answer to that question and reasons are displayed below. We call this awesome feature The First Ten Focus Group.
Keep in mind, the responses from the members are not reviews. This is purchase-intent focus group which means the participants are people who have NOT yet bought or read your book. A purchase-intent focus group is an important and extremely useful marketing tool for any product, not just books. For other products, you might walk on the street and show people an item in a package and poll them about whether they would buy if or $X or not. These kind of focus groups are one of the ways big marketing companies find the ideal price points for products and test the effectiveness of different packaging. The focus group can help you identify your market so you how to target ads of your book, and it can (but may not) provide you new useful info about your "packaging" (e.g. your book cover, your book synopsis on Amazon, etc.). The point of the focus group comments is to give you information from people who have not bought or read your book about why they plan to buy your book which will help you in marketing the book. These are not reviews or critiques of your book because they are not from people have read the book. This is a marketing tool, not reviews. The trick of book marketing and book advertising is that you have to convince people who have not read your book yet that your book is worth buying and reading. For marketing, it doesn't matter much if people love your book after reading it if you cannot convince potential buyers before they read it that they will love it.
IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable. This is because we only poll about 20 or so readers, and all readers have to say "no" to almost all books. Over a million books are published each year. Even a very active reader cannot come close to even reading 1% of books out there.
This is also why publishing books is such a tough industry.
Ekta Kumari
The book captures the love story of Laila and Eduardo. It explores the themes of love, cultural differences, teenage pregnancy, and family. I wouldn't have read the book as I wasn't interested in the genre. The thing I like the most about the read so far is that the chapters shift perspective from one character to the other. This, I thought, is a very wholesome approach. I also like that the author maintains the individuality of a character by using the language that's significant in their culture. Though, I think the book can benefit from another round of editing. I saw some instances of incorrect use of comma while reading. One example is in this sentence, "Admittedly, my anxiety was at an all time high as I parked my canary-yellow Chevrolet Bel Air, and fed coins into the meter at the curb." There is no need of a comma before 'and'. I don't have any other recommendations to make. I saw an official OBC review. But I wouldn't read the whole book as I'm not interested in the genre and the main themes.
First Ten review added on December 18, 2021, at 5:14 am by Ekta Kumari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Manang Muyang
The cover shows a newly married couple, so this is a romance book, not a cookbook as the title may suggest. The blurb confirms that it is a romance that will go through a lot of adversities. I am not keen on romances, so I wouldn't have sampled the book outside of the program. The bit I read did not make me change my mind, although I liked the witty conversations that Laila and Eduardo had. I noted a few errors while reading. A couple of them follow: At 42% of the sample, "My three-inch stilettos (which I now regretted wearing), clickety-clacked on fractured tile floors" didn't need the comma. At 68%, "How had I Violet Sanchez" needed a comma after "I." I hope the author can address the errors. The official OBC reviewer enjoyed the book, especially as it is set in the remarkable '70s, but I will pass. This isn't my genre.
First Ten review added on December 18, 2021, at 4:59 am by Manang Muyang.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
xsquare
I don’t usually read romance, so I wouldn’t have sampled this book if it hadn’t been part of the First Ten program. The official OBC review did not convince me. I found the characters of Laila and Eduardo to be likeable, and I enjoyed reading the interactions between them. I did not see any typos, and I don’t think that there was anything else that the author could’ve done better. However, I wasn’t a fan of the constant perspective-switching, so I don’t think I will be reading the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on December 18, 2021, at 4:56 am by xsquare.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Rodel Barnachea
Following my perusing the book's official OBC review and Amazon page, I decided not to purchase the romance title. I did not find myself intrigued by the cultural differences between the two lovers. I am not interested in finding out whether the two main characters will be able to overcome the challenges brought upon by the differences between their families’ beliefs and values. Sampling the title failed to change my mind. I would not acquire it because nothing in the Amazon sample appealed to my interests or convinced me I would enjoy reading the romance novel. The first ten pages contain Chapter One: The Presentation and some pages of Chapter Two: ER. What I liked most is when the main character said that she wants to study sociology despite her mother's disapproval. I did not note any errors in the text. The book seems professionally edited to me. I have no advice to offer to the author.
First Ten review added on December 18, 2021, at 4:49 am by Rodel Barnachea.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Asma Aisha Ansari
I wouldn't have picked this book up based on the cover, as it makes the book look like a romance novel, and the romance genre is the least favourite of all genres I read. The title is intriguing. The official OBC review, the blurb, and the Amazon reviews of this book described it as a novel that blends together romance, mystery and suspense genres with family history and relationships as an important aspect of the plot. The sample had all these elements, and I liked the writing style. However, none of the characters struck me as special or noteworthy. The chapter on a character named Violet felt odd at the beginning of the story.
The sample contains many instances of missing commas and missing hyphenation. But these errors never hindered the reading experience in any way. For instance, in the sentence, 'Admittedly, my anxiety was at an all time high as I parked my...', 'all time' should be hyphenated. And, in the sentence, 'Despite the warm weather it was ice cold.', there should be a comma after the word 'weather'. I suggest that the book be edited thoroughly once for such errors. Additionally, the cover should be changed to include all the different elements of the story. The reviews and the blurb didn't change my mind regarding the book. I'm not going to read the rest of the book because of the genre and the absence of interesting characters.
First Ten review added on December 18, 2021, at 4:35 am by Asma Aisha Ansari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Shrabastee Chakraborty
The genre wasn't one I generally prefer. However, the high rating of the official OBC review and the mentions of racial diversity made me intrigued. The first ten pages changed my mind, though. I found no errors in the first ten pages. They described a young woman on her way to speak before an audience. She held a doctorate in sociology. I liked how the author slowly revealed background information, but other than that, nothing caught my attention. I didn't have any suggestions for improvement, however. Based on my reading experience, I decided not to read the book further.
First Ten review added on December 18, 2021, at 4:06 am by Shrabastee Chakraborty.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jeremie Mondejar
The cover photo simply tells a romance novel, which is the genre I'm really avoiding, especially if it has a lot of explicit content. I sample this book based on the program. The sample entertains me because Laila's character look a bit strong. I like the flow of events. The book has an OBC review, but it doesn't influence me, though it's very insightful. I searched the words bagels and salsa, but I can't connect with the sample how come a "bread" and "dance" be together in a romantic novel. I will not read this book because I can't relate to the title. The editing seems fine and it looks professionally edited. There's nothing I can recommend for improvement.
First Ten review added on December 18, 2021, at 3:52 am by Jeremie Mondejar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
va2016
The title "Bagels & Salsa" and the cover of a couple do not indicate the theme of the book. There are 45 Amazon customer ratings, which is a good enough number for me to decide to sample the book. The Amazon summary states that the story is about a relationship between a scholar and sociologist. As I am not interested in the theme of the book, I would have skipped sampling if not for the First Ten program. As I sampled through the book, I found the narration describing Laila falling down in the stage because of losing her balance and Dr. Eduardo attending to her. As I am not interested in the overall story, I am not going to read this book in full. I found the sample professionally edited. I didn't find any grammatical or mechanical errors in the sample. I didn't like anything specifically about the book. I don't have any recommendations for the improvement of the book. Although I found one OBC review of the book, my decision to not to read the book in full is based on my own sampling.
First Ten review added on December 18, 2021, at 3:49 am by va2016.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sanju Lali
Nothing was clear to me from the cover and the title of this book regarding its contents because "Bagels & Salsa" meant many things to me. So, I considered reading the OBC official review of this book to know what is inside the book. The OBC official review gave me the idea that this book has a multicultural romantic story. This idea piqued my interest to sample the book. After reading the first ten pages, I realized that this book is not professionally edited because I found some grammatical errors in the sample. For example, the sentence, "In a way she was right, but I’d followed my passion to study the science of social institutions and relationships, and had no regrets.". The sentence could have been, "In a way she was right, but I’d followed my passion for studying the science of social institutions and relationships and had no regrets.". The thing l liked the most is Laila's choice of following her passion for studying the science of social institutions and relationships even though her mother did not like it. My suggestion to the author would be to go for a round of professional editing to make it easier for reading. Anyway, I am happy with this romantic story with bold characters. After looking at all these aspects, I decided to purchase and read this book today and have a good time.
First Ten review added on December 18, 2021, at 3:45 am by Sanju Lali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Mercy119
This book's cover gave the impression that this would be a romance story, which didn't entice me to read it. The OBC review dissuaded me when it mentioned that the author narrates the story of a seemingly mismatched couple, a New York City woman (a sociologist), and an actor from rural New Mexico. That storyline doesn't appeal to me, so I won't read the rest of the book. When I read the first ten pages, I liked that the narrator followed her passion and got a doctorate in sociology. I spotted no errors in the text, so I will conclude that it underwent professional editing. There's nothing I disliked about the bit I read, so I wouldn't change anything about it.
First Ten review added on December 18, 2021, at 3:31 am by Mercy119.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sou Hi
If it's not for this program, I wouldn't read this. The official review from OnlineBookClub and Amazon's blurb look alright, but the book is not my cup of tea. Amazon's ratings are not great either. The sample features Laila, who was shot in her seminar. Dr. Eduardo saved her, and they immediately fell for each other.
To be frank, I don't like anything in the sample. Since the editing is not good, I suggest a second round of proofreading. The plot is boring and too classical, so I won't buy this book.
Error example: My three-inch stilettos (which I now regretted wearing), clickety-clacked on fractured tile floors. -> The comma is not needed.
First Ten review added on December 18, 2021, at 3:19 am by Sou Hi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Melisa Jane
I wouldn't have sampled this review based on its cover or title because they both make it look like a romance book. I'm not a fan of this genre. However, after sampling it, I will continue reading it because it's an action-packed novel. I like that the action starts right from the first page. I'd like to find out what the 44 caliber killer is up to. I think the author should adjust the cover to reflect the contents of the book. I didn't find any grammatical errors while reading. This book has an official OBC review.
First Ten review added on December 18, 2021, at 2:45 am by Melisa Jane.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Mary WhiteFace
The title and cover picture were representative of the genre. Based on the synopsis, customer reviews, and the OnlineBookClub review I would not have wanted to read this book if it wasn't part of the First Ten program. I will occasionally read a romance, but the mention of the Son of Sam was the actual deciding factor. Even the hint of a possible murder scene is enough for me to pass it by.
Reading the first ten pages did not change my mind. The book seemed to be professionally edited. I have no suggestions for improvements. The story was well-written, entertaining and held my attention right from the beginning.
The part I liked best was at location 433 after Eduardo had cut Laila's bra strap so he could examine her wound: "You know, smart boy, you ruined my bra.” “Sorry, I’m adding it to my collection. Hottest little honey I ever roped, grounded, and tied in under a minute. Where I come from that’s something to be proud of.”
Even though the few pages I read were enjoyable, I'm not interested in reading a romance at this time. Especially with the added possibility of an incident with a serial killer. I will not be reading the whole book.
First Ten review added on December 17, 2021, at 9:47 pm by Mary WhiteFace.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
brooke oakes
I doubt I would have sampled or read this book outside this program. I didn't fancy its cover, and neither its OBC nor Amazon review appealed to me when they mentioned that the topic of teen pregnancies was a focus.The book starts with Levin doing a presentation, but some clumsiness puts her in the ER. I liked the details of the characters thought processes in the book, but nothing else in the book appealed to me, so I won't complete it. I don't notice any errors, while I read. I don't think this book needs any improvement.
First Ten review added on December 17, 2021, at 8:56 pm by brooke oakes.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Gabrielle Sigaki
Bagels & Salsa by Lara Reznik is a romance novel that brings multiculturalism, tolerance, and diversity too. It brings the story of Laila and Eduardo. If I didn't sample this book, I wouldn't read it based on its Official OnlineBookClub review and its genre since I'm not interested in romances. After sampling it, I didn't change my mind and I won't read the entire book because of the genre. However, it seems professionally edited, there's nothing to be improved in it, and my favorite aspect was the fact that the dialogues seemed realistic and dynamic with simple sentences.
First Ten review added on December 17, 2021, at 7:56 pm by Gabrielle Sigaki.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
MsH2k
The title was clever, but the cover didn’t attract me: it looked a bit amateurish. I don’t read many romance novels, and based on the blurb, I would not have sampled this book if I were not part of this program. The first ten pages went quickly, and the easygoing attraction between Laila and Eduardo was communicated well. I enjoyed their rapport, but I will not buy this book because the storyline did not attract me enough to read more. The book may have been professionally edited, but I noticed a few grammatical errors. One instance was this sentence at loc 318. “All time” should be hyphenated, and the last comma (in a compound predicate) is not needed: “Admittedly, my anxiety was at an all time high as I parked my canary-yellow Chevrolet Bel Air, and fed coins into the meter at the curb.” The featured OnlineBookClub review was very complimentary, but it had no bearing on my decision not to buy this book. Other editorial reviews and customer reviews did not influence me either. I have no suggestions for improvement.
First Ten review added on December 17, 2021, at 7:46 pm by MsH2k.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jorge Leon Salazar
The cover image showing a couple kissing at a wedding seems befitting the story. The title is original and eye-catching. I think this title-cover combination should appeal to many readers interested in romance stories and dramas. In general, I am not very fond of these genres. The blurb indicates the story is set in 1977 and emphasizes it centers on Laila and Eduardo. They share family values and an interest in helping prevent teen pregnancy. Plus, it comments on the obstacles they face in their relationship. Most Customer reviews are flattering. Based on these aspects, I am not very prone to test this book. The sample focuses on Laila and Eduardo. An appropriate description of both is offered from the moment they meet in New York. The incident when Laila was going to give a lecture and detonations were heard was striking. She thought she had been shot, well I thought so too. The expectation of a possible romance between them is raised under the shadow of the possible reappearance of Violet, Eduardo’s sweetheart in high school. Both Laila and Eduardo have had love disappointments and do not have a stable partner. I think readers can relate to them and wish they were together. The inclusion of the threat of a gruesome killer named "The Son of Sam" creates intrigue. Technological aspects are consistent with the time like the answering machine on Laila's phone. The insertion of words in Spanish presents an attraction of knowing how to say some phrases in Spanish. The official OnlineBookClub review comments that the predominant genre is romance but encompasses others. In addition, It indicates the book promotes tolerance, diversity, and family values. The editing looks prominent as I didn't see any details to comment on. Overall, I didn't see anything that I believe could be improved. What I sampled was interesting, and the plot seems well built but it didn't quite capture me. Hence, I won't read the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on December 17, 2021, at 5:55 pm by Jorge Leon Salazar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Rachael S 1
The cover of this story speaks of love and commitment. However, based on the OBC review, it sounds like there is a long journey ahead that reminds me of Romeo and Juliet. I liked how the author wrote each chapter from the perspective of each character. It is fun to see what someone is thinking and then later get the same perspective from another. While the introduction and review were interesting, this is not my genre of choice to read, and will not be purchasing and reading the full book. There was nothing I disliked about this book. I also did not find any grammatical or spelling errors in the first few pages.
First Ten review added on December 17, 2021, at 4:42 pm by Rachael S 1.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Annelore Trujillo
I would have sampled this book based on the genre, blurb, OBC review, cover and title. It seemed like an interesting story about a potential power couple. After reading the first ten pages, I won’t be finishing this book. I usually enjoy first-person narration, but I wasn’t into it in this book. I wanted to read more description on what was happening externally. For example, on the walk to the auditorium for her presentation, Laila’s thoughts were given without a lot of description of the surroundings. I also didn’t like that Spanish words were included without definitions. The editing also needs improvement as I noticed errors that told me it might not be professionally edited. For example, “and had no regrets” didn’t need a comma before it. There were several misplaced commas that disrupted the flow. I did like that the book comes from two different perspectives.
First Ten review added on December 17, 2021, at 2:49 pm by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kirsi Cultrera
I am very picky when it comes to romance novels, and judging by the outward appearance, this book looked average. I would not have sampled this book if I’d only seen the cover. However, the blurb and other available information made the story seem a bit more interesting. I liked the multicultural aspect of the story. Relationships between people from different cultures can be really tricky, and I was a bit curious to see how Laila and Eduardo would work things out. Unfortunately, reading the sample did not convince me. Everything happened too fast and the romance part was thrown right in my face almost before the story even got started. I liked the somewhat humorous manner of speech between the two protagonists, but the rest of what I read did not feel plausible. The editing appeared professional. The writer of the Official OnlineBookClub review had obviously enjoyed this story. Still, I was not convinced. For the reasons mentioned above, I decided against reading this book.
First Ten review added on December 17, 2021, at 2:18 pm by Kirsi Cultrera.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mariana Figueira
Before reading the book's first pages, I was a little bit interested in it because romance is one of my favorite genres. After sampling the book, I don't want to continue reading it because the story didn't captivate me. I like that Laila is a sociology major and that the book leads you to believe she was going to be shot but the noise ended up being firecrackers. This book seems professionally edited and has an official Online BookClub review. There was nothing I saw that needed improvement. Neither the blurb, customer reviews, nor editorial reviews affect my decision not to read the book.
First Ten review added on December 17, 2021, at 2:02 pm by Mariana Figueira.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Timothy Rucinski
I didn't care much for the cover as it just seemed to be a standard stock photo and if I had just seen the pic from the front, I would not have bothered to look any closer. Also, the title, which is terrific, hardly pops on the cover and the author's name is nearly invisible. I found the Official OBC Review to be interesting, but not interesting enough because the genre, despite all of the interesting cultural components, is still a romance. I don't read that many romances and the Official Review did nothing to encourage me to read the book. But, after reading the first several pages, I was hooked primarily because: I lived in NYC in the seventies; I had worked at Morris HS off and on; I had worked with pregnant teens in high school and jail settings; I had experienced gun fights up close and personal; I had attended NYU, and I had dined quite often at Ratners. What I liked most was the manner in which the author very quickly was able to capture the spirit of the time, especially the danger that pervaded the city. It was a crazy time. There was nothing I disliked other than the cover. I believe the book was professionally edited as I found no errors. I will definitely be reading and reviewing this book.
First Ten review added on December 17, 2021, at 1:22 pm by Timothy Rucinski.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Jennifer Garcia 555
I would probably not have chosen to read this book, because I do not usually enjoy romance novels. I did not see a single editing error so this book seems professionally edited. I read an official Online Book Club review and the sample pages. The review spoke highly of the book. I like the natural flowing dialogue between the main characters. This book could be improved by not changing the point-of -view. I found it distracting. I will not buy or finish this book, but lovers of romance would probably enjoy it.
First Ten review added on December 17, 2021, at 12:40 pm by Jennifer Garcia 555.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
gen_g
Looking at the title alone, the book seems like a romance piece; I am not in the market for this genre, so I would not have sampled it. I have seen a positive OBC review of the book, but the OBC review would not have changed my mind regarding sampling because of the genre mismatch. Unfortunately, I have also spotted a couple of errors, and I do suggest more editing to rectify it. An example of an error can be found at 1%, where there is a missing hyphen to mark the compound modifier: "...anxiety was at an all(-)time high...". However, I do like the author's way of showing, in addition to telling, the readers about what the characters are feeling. For example, the reader does know that Laila is anxious, but we also get confirmation of her anxiety when we learn that she opened her purse to check that her .38 caliber pistol (that her father had given her) was still in it. I would also suggest hiring a professional cover illustrator to rework the cover to make it more sophisticated-looking; currently, the font colour of the author's name blends in with the background illustration. I am not in the market for romance novels, so I will not be buying the book today.
First Ten review added on December 17, 2021, at 10:35 am by gen_g.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Rosemary Owolabi
I would have chosen to sample this book had I not seen the first ten samples because I liked the front cover of the book and the title.
I'm going to buy this book because the first ten pages were interesting and insightful to me.
The book was professionally written and edited, and I didn't find any typos/errors.
What I liked about the bit that I read was how informative the book was. I liked how the author twisted the plot. It was very clever and amusing to know that the book was written nicely about Dr. Laila Levin, who went to Morris High School as a panel speaker to talk about teen pregnancies. She hadn't started talking when she fell off the stage, bleeding on her shoulder. Her shoulder hit a sharp object, and she got scared of the firecrackers some kids were shooting. Which made her think of the gruesome 44-caliber killer who wrote to the daily news wanting to strike again. She felt the man had gotten her. because the rear of the man was on every lady's mind.
The top reviewers were from the United States. It received great reviews and global ratings. It didn't affect my opinion of the book. I liked the book already.
First Ten review added on December 17, 2021, at 9:48 am by Rosemary Owolabi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Justine Ocsebio
I wouldn’t have sampled the book based on the blurb, as I wasn’t interested in the premise. I like following the main character’s thought processes in the first few pages. It’s both strange and amusing how Laila is going about her day while a serial killer is on the loose. She’s on her way to a high school, where she’s invited to become one of the speakers. I’m going to read the whole book, as I find the character of Laila quite interesting. The OBC review also influenced my decision. I disliked nothing, and I didn’t see anything that needed improvement. The text is well edited.
First Ten review added on December 17, 2021, at 4:33 am by Justine Ocsebio.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Mutai Marshal
The cover page dissuaded me from reading this book. It suggested that this is a romance novel, a genre I don't cherish. From the sample, I liked the dialogues used. They give this fast-paced book a fluid flow. The OBC review didn't change my mind about this novel. Consequently, I will not buy this romance book. I didn't flag any grammatical errors, and I believe it was exceptionally edited. There are no suggestions for improvement that I can offer for this read.
First Ten review added on December 17, 2021, at 4:15 am by Mutai Marshal.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
psychopathycathy
If I had not read the sample as part of the First Ten program, I would not have read the book. I think the blurb is way too long and loses my interest — some details about Eduardo finishing up an NYC residency or Laila being rejected by Eduardo's mother should be left for us to learn as we read the book. After reading the sample, I have not changed my mind. There's not necessarily anything I'd change other than the blurb, and I did like the dual perspective, but I feel like the way the romance was written did not appeal to me as I am not a fan of the ambiguous trope "There was just something about her." It was professionally edited. The official review on OnlineBookClub did not affect my decision.
First Ten review added on December 17, 2021, at 3:46 am by psychopathycathy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Joseph Mutuku 1
Lara Resnick has penned a riveting story in this inviting romance novel. The story began well, and I would confess that the earlier pages were well written. Laila Levin’s story takes a new turn as some kids shooting off firecrackers scares her in the middle of her presentation. What ensues is her injuries leading her to meet Dr. Eduardo Quintana. There’s an attraction between them, and there is also a lot yet to be known. If not for the fact that I’m not a fan of romance novels, I would have finished reading this book. However, I think both the book’s cover page and the title were catchy. The author did a good job in editing the book—I didn’t find any objective error in the sample. The official Online Book Club review was insightful enough to answer most of the questions I would have before selecting this book. After reading the sample, I’m not going to finish reading this book because of the previously mentioned reasons. I have no advice for the author; I believe the book is well-written, and it will appeal to those who enjoy romantic stories.
First Ten review added on December 17, 2021, at 3:20 am by Joseph Mutuku 1.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Lisa A Rayburn
If I had not been a member of this program, it is unlikely that I would have run across this book. Although I do enjoy romances, my tastes run more to the paranormal genre. Given this, there is nothing in particular about the cover or title that would have caught my attention. I am unfamiliar with the author, so that would not have affected my decision. The blurb introduces the book well and gives the reader a good idea of the plot. Unfortunately, the storyline did not engage my interest. There were many positive customer reviews on the Amazon site. However, I did not see a review from OBC. If I had, I would have been interested in what the reviewer had to say. The official OBC review on this site was positive as well. This gave a good impression of the book going into the sample. The way Laila and Eduardo met was amusing, even if her falling and stabbing herself with a pointer was not the best or least painful way to meet someone. The author did a great job of making the 'sizzle' between them start right off the bat. I loved that Eduardo couldn't tear himself away from her at the hospital even though there were other patients waiting and he knew it. (Maybe that's not such a good thing?) I did enjoy the sample, and there was nothing I would change. However, as this romance novel is well outside the genre I prefer, I have chosen not to continue to read it. The book seemed well-edited. I found no 'countable' errors in the sample.
First Ten review added on December 17, 2021, at 3:05 am by Lisa A Rayburn.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
J_odoyo
Bagels & Salsa by Lara Resnick is seemingly a well-written and riveting novel. Its cover page is okay, and I think the title is also catchy. I liked the OnlineBookClub review; it gave insight into what the book was all about. The sample was well-edited, and I didn’t encounter any objective error in the sample I read. The book’s description on the Amazon website also served its purpose well. Laila Levin and Dr. Eduardo Quintana's story narrated in the sample is skillfully done. I got absorbed into the story as I follow Laila’s first speaking engagement at Morris High School, some kids shooting off firecrackers, and her injuries that led to their almost divine encounter with Dr. Quintana. It seems there’s some irresistible chemistry between the duo, and I can’t stop guessing what is next. The sample is well written, but since I am not a fan of romance stories, I will not finish reading this book. Overall, I have nothing to recommend for the improvement of this book.
First Ten review added on December 17, 2021, at 1:59 am by J_odoyo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Ari Martinez
If it hadn't been for this program, I wouldn't have sampled this book based on its title, cover, Official OnlineBookClub review, or editorial reviews because I didn't think this was the type of love story I would be interested in. After reading the sample, I will continue reading the book because I really enjoyed the story. My favorite part of the sample was all the little twists in the first chapter. I thought it was clever, and it definitely caught my attention. To improve the book, I would change some of the parts in Spanish. The dialogue in Spanish doesn't always sound natural, and I found a couple of spelling mistakes. For example, in Location 539, "enquentras" should be "encuentres" (“Quiero que tu me enquentras en el aeropuerto.”). The text seems professionally edited overall.
First Ten review added on December 17, 2021, at 1:30 am by Ari Martinez.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Michelle Menezes
From the title and cover, it was easy to guess that it was a romance novel. The blurb was interesting, and the Official OnlineBookClub review had good things to say about it. I don't usually read editorial or customer reviews, as I don't want to get influenced by them and would like to form my own opinions. Based on the above things, I wanted to give the book a try. After reading the first ten pages, I have decided to continue reading it. I liked the banter between Laila and Eduardo right from the time they met. It was witty and funny. The beginning introduced me to Laila and Eduardo's career backgrounds and told me a little about their past relationships. It also mentioned a threatening person named the Son of Sam. I can say the book is going to be dramatic and tense, and I'd love to see how everything unfolds. I don't think the book needs any improvement, and I didn't find any errors, so it seems professionally edited.
First Ten review added on December 17, 2021, at 1:26 am by Michelle Menezes.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Howlan
I would not have read this book without the program, as the synopsis did not interest me. In the first ten pages, we are introduced to three characters. Laila, Eduardo, and Violet. Laila falls on stage after a firework prank by the audience. Eduardo is an MD who fixes Laila up, and sparks fly between them. Violet, Eduardo's high school sweetheart, lives with Ira, and her career as an actress is not going well. The narration is well-paced and easy to understand. I generally enjoy reading fast-paced mystery thrillers, and the plot of romantic fiction does not interest me. So, I am not going to buy and read this book as I am not interested in the story. No typos were found in the first ten pages. I found nothing to improve in the first ten pages. The official OBC review is present, and the reviewer rates it highly.
First Ten review added on December 16, 2021, at 11:38 pm by Howlan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
SweetSourSalty AndSpicy
The cover hints at romance which I seldom read. Hence, I will skip this outside the program. The unlikely combination of the words in the title sounds appropriate. The description is clear, and the reviews are positive. But the plot did not pique my curiosity. After sampling, I appreciate that it explores the complexities of multicultural relationships in the context of the ‘70s. It also touches on the issues of teen pregnancy. But I am not curious enough about the romance angle and family drama to finish the book. As for editing, here are examples of issues.
Location 315. Spelling. Consider adding a hyphen.
I tried not to let the panic pervading New York City that stifling summer morning dictate my life despite the fact that July 29th was also the two-year anniversary of my disastrous nuptials to Julian Goldblatt or Jules Gold, the nom de plume he used on his hip [late night] radio show.
I tried not to let the panic pervading New York City that stifling summer morning dictate my life despite the fact that July 29th was also the two-year anniversary of my disastrous nuptials to Julian Goldblatt or Jules Gold, the nom de plume he used on his hip [late-night] radio show.
Location 345. Spelling. Consider adding a hyphen.
The corridors reeked of [Pine Sol] and paste wax, with a touch of locker room jockstraps.
The corridors reeked of [Pine-Sol] and paste wax, with a touch of locker room jockstraps.
I have no suggestions for improvement. Likewise, the official OnlineBookClub review is insightful. But it did not change my decision to skip this one.
First Ten review added on December 16, 2021, at 11:01 pm by SweetSourSalty AndSpicy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kaitlyn Canedy
If Bagels & Salsa hadn't been the OnlineBookClub's book of the day, I likely would not have read the sample of it. The title was my favorite part because it is not a title that I would have expected from a book. Honestly, after reading the description, I did not like the way that the book was going. The customer reviews that were present did not affect my decision to skip the book either. The story itself was very confusing for me because there were so many characters to keep track of. Not only this but there were sex scenes in the sample that I did not enjoy. Because of these reasons, I have decided to skip the book. There were no grammatical errors in the sample, but I do hope that the confusion surrounding the characters is clarified in the future. An official OnlineBookClub review exists for this title, but I did not need to read it to make a decision. Readers who like romance books with different cultural elements may like this book.
First Ten review added on December 16, 2021, at 9:10 pm by Kaitlyn Canedy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Brenda Creech
I wasn't drawn in by the cover and title, so I would not have checked it out. I didn't read any customer reviews or blurbs. After reading the OBC review, I still wasn't sure if this would be a book I would want to read at this time. The sample I read was about Laila and Eduardo meeting when she fell while giving her first public speaking presentation. Eduardo is a doctor, and he came to Laila's assistance. She had cut her shoulder and had a slight concussion. After being admitted to the hospital, he came to her room to check on her. They hit it off quickly, and before he left, they had made a date to have dinner. I liked the easy banter between them. They seemed comfortable with each other right away and could joke around. I did not come across any errors or anything that needs improving. This sounds like a lighthearted romantic story with many different characters, but that is not the kind of book I am looking to read at this time. I occasionally enjoy a good romance novel, but not around the holiday season for personal reasons. So, I won't be reading the rest of the book for that reason.
First Ten review added on December 16, 2021, at 6:39 pm by Brenda Creech.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Emy Katherine
The story follows Eduardo Quintana and Laila Levin as they fall in love with each other but also find themselves dealing with their different cultures and their difficult pasts. Honestly, as I am not a huge fan of romance novels, I would not have read the book based on the genre and the OBC review. I am pleased to say, though, that I changed my mind after sampling the book. I thoroughly appreciated that the story was told from multiple perspectives, making it easier for me to connect with the characters. I also liked the author's choice to include Spanish words, making the story more believable. What I liked most, however, was the humorous interaction between Eduardo and Laila. Sadly, as I also encountered some distracting errors, I would suggest another round of editing. For example, it should be written "a twenty-five-hour blackout" in the following sentence: "A twenty-five hour blackout earlier in the month had crippled the city." (location 753 of 820 • 92%) It should be written "close-knit" in the following sentence: "It appears you come from a close knit familia." (location 705 of 820 • 86%) There should not be a comma after "chair" in the following sentence: "I sat down in a folding metal chair, and rifled through my notes." (location 346 of 820 • 42%)
First Ten review added on December 16, 2021, at 6:28 pm by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Laura Ungureanu
I wouldn't have wanted to read this book based on its appearance. Having people on the cover reminds me of soap operas, which I don't like. The title seems funny, but I don't see its meaning. My guess was that this book is about a Latin American family. The OBC review informed me about the book. Because it is autobiographical and has a romance, it didn't sound like something I would read. Thus, I couldn't be convinced by the editorial reviews, customer reviews, or blurb. The sample presents Laila Levin having an accident while giving a speech about teen pregnancies at a high school. She is rescued by a handsome doctor. It seemed a bit hard to figure out what is happening at the beginning. The sentences didn't seem to relate to each other. However, I quickly got the hang of it, but I don't enjoy seeing romance as the center of the story. I noticed the lack of punctuation in a very long phrase from the beginning: "I tried not to let the panic pervading New York City that stifling summer morning dictate my life despite the fact that July 29th was also the two-year anniversary of my disastrous nuptials to Julian Goldblatt or Jules Gold, the nom de plume he used on his hip late night radio show." For clarity, the phrase should be rearranged or it should have a comma before "despite." Concerning the editing, there seems to be some space for improvement. I wouldn't have any suggestions for improving the content of the book, as romance is not something that I enjoy.
First Ten review added on December 16, 2021, at 4:28 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Yvonne Monique
I don't particularly like the book cover nor the book title as it all looks a bit unprofessional. I would not pick this book up if I would see it in a bookstore. The blurb and OBC review give a good description of the book but do not make me want to read the sample. The sample is well edited, and the writing style is engaging. The author's descriptions in the first chapter give a good idea about New York in the 70s. However, I believe that this story is not for me. I am not really interested in this love story. In general, romantic novels are not my favourite genre. That is why I will not read this book. As an improvement, I would suggest to make the book cover look a bit more professional.
First Ten review added on December 16, 2021, at 4:24 pm by Yvonne Monique.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Astral Magi
I love romance, and the cover and title caught my attention immediately. I would have chosen the book based on these if I hadn't read the first ten pages. The first ten pages, as well as the official OBC review, confirmed my initial reaction. The customer reviews and the blurb sealed the deal. I liked how the author blended family values and romance. I look forward to following Eduardo and Laila's story. There were no errors and nothing needs to be improved. The book was professionally edited
First Ten review added on December 16, 2021, at 4:18 pm by Astral Magi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kira Bonita Reece
I would choose to read this book based on the blurb and the official online book club review. I wouldn't choose to read it if I had only the cover to judge it by. I like how this romance story is both unique and diverse. The way in which Eduardo and Laila met was quite funny. Laila thought she was shot as she started to give her speech and Eduardo became her saviour. I didn't notice any errors in the first ten pages and it seemed professionally edited. I will be reading this book. I was hooked from the first few pages.
First Ten review added on December 16, 2021, at 3:54 pm by Kira Bonita Reece.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Chelsy Scherba
I liked how the first chapter introduced the couple. After some kids shot off firecrackers, she thought she’d been shot only to be helped by the handsome man. I liked how the worst case scenario turned into a fun meeting of the protagonists. The editing looks flawless, I didn’t see any errors. I have no suggestions for improvements. I don’t often read this genre, so I probably wouldn’t have been interested outside of the program. The OBC review made the matchup between two different cultures sound sort of interesting, so I may read it another time, but I’m not really interested in purchasing today.
First Ten review added on December 16, 2021, at 2:52 pm by Chelsy Scherba.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
AntonelaMaria
It is a good thing that I sampled this book because I wouldn't have read it otherwise. I read romance, but something about the 70's setting didn't appeal to me. I changed my mind after reading the sample. The writing style and the premise are enjoyable. Laila and Eduardo are an interesting couple. The multicultural aspect of their relationship is fascinating. I'm curious to know what happened in the past between Eduardo and Violet. My favorite thing about the sample is the characters. This book seems like it was professionally edited. I didn't notice any errors. I would improve the cover. It could be a little bit more appealing. There is a helpful Official Onlinebookclub review.
First Ten review added on December 16, 2021, at 2:36 pm by AntonelaMaria.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda
What a unique title! And from the cover, I can tell this is a romance, which is a genre I love. I also like the blurb because it involves a multicultural romance and a serial killer copycat. It sounds like a strange mix, but they're two topics that fascinate me: learning about other cultures and crime. Despite the mixed ratings, I would've bought the book based on my first impressions.
I loved the first ten pages, especially how unique the meet-cute is. One does not see firecrackers mistaken for bullets every day. I also think the characters are memorable. The mixture of a "sheltered girl from Long Island" who is also "Jewish-Buddhist-Agnostic" is intriguing. And I find Dr. Eduardo to be witty, which we see, for example, in the following dialogue: “You don’t look like a doctor.” “Actually, I’m a cowboy.” I didn't find editing mistakes. My only suggestion is to shorten the blurb which, in my opinion, reveals too much. I would especially recommend cutting down the following lines: "Her mama and Sylvia cook up a plan to get rid of Laila and reunite their children. The Quintanas hold a large pig roast and invite a menagerie of tattooed cousins, rodeo stars, and mariachis, where the drop-dead gorgeous Violet makes a grand entrance." Suffice it to say that Eduardo’s mom wanted him to marry Violet. Though I enjoyed the sample, the official OBC review, which explains the multiple layers of the story, was crucial to my decision to buy the book.
First Ten review added on December 16, 2021, at 11:23 am by María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kajori Sheryl Paul
'Bagels & Salsa' is written by Lara Reznik. Laila had studied for a doctorate in sociology. She was set to join a panel of speakers in Morris High School. Fireworks burst out during her presentation. Lara gets hurt. Dr. Eduardo Quintana treated her. They form a bond. I like Eduardo's sense of humor. The editing is great. There are no errors. There is nothing in need of an improvement. The OBC review is detailed. I would read this book based on the cover, title, genre, blurb, editorial reviews, and customer reviews as the book is set during the 70s. l will read this book as I am invested in Laila and Eduardo's story.
First Ten review added on December 16, 2021, at 11:18 am by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
asteel18
Even if I had not read the first ten pages I would most likely read this book after reading the blurb and reviews. I didn’t care for the cover, but the title is cute. The OBC review convinced me that it was worth reading due to deeper layers than just a romance novel. I am now wanting to read more about Laila and Eduardo and their different cultural backgrounds.
After reading ten pages, I would definitely buy the book. It was engaging and I enjoyed the different languages added in. There was enough context in the conversations and descriptions that I could understand what was said. I did not notice any errors or other distractions, so it appears to be professionally edited. I don’t think anything needs improvement at this point.
First Ten review added on December 16, 2021, at 10:54 am by asteel18.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Rizki Pradana
I have chosen to read the first ten of this book based on Amazon reviews because the cover looks interesting to me. I had seen an OBC review, and it affect me to read this book because the love story was really interesting, especially when it came to understanding the love itself. That's what I like the most about this book. Because of that, I wanted to read the whole book. There were not many grammatical errors that could hinder reading this book, which means this book has been professionally edited.
First Ten review added on December 16, 2021, at 10:27 am by Rizki Pradana.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Theresa Moffitt
I would not have picked this book up based on the cover alone. The cover art of two people kissing implies a romance novel. However, the title doesn’t convey that to me. I am not a fan of romance novels, so I would not have picked this book up based on the cover alone. The Online Book Club review was very positive and gave the book a perfect rating. This increased my interest in the book. I didn’t read an additional customer review. The first ten pages begin with a chapter titled Laila. She is a young career woman in New York City on the way to her first speaking engagement. She is working on her doctorate in Sociology. She’s very nervous and is the first speaker at the event. She ends up hurting herself on the stage and a handsome doctor comes up from the audience to help her. I didn’t see any errors in the first ten pages, so I believe the book was professionally edited. I also didn’t see any area that the author could improve upon. I don’t usually like romance novels; however, I like the author’s writing style. Based on the first ten pages and the OBC review, I would like to finish reading this book.
First Ten review added on December 16, 2021, at 9:58 am by Theresa Moffitt.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Total ~ 33%
Bagels & Salsa earned a score of 33%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 33% plan to read the whole book.
IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable.
Over a million books are published each year. Any given person could not even read .0001% of the books out there. This means readers have to be very selective. Even taking the time to look over reviews and blurbs, let alone read samples, is more time than most readers can afford for most books. The First Ten is a powerful focus group that addresses those issues. It creates a helpful tool for authors, publishers, and other readers.
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