Title: Just One Night by DragonRose25
Source: ELGANZA, INC. | AWARDS by TheCieloCommunity
Category: Romance
Mature: N (mild swearing)
LGBTQIAP+: N
Status: Ongoing
Special note (judging): I had 5 books from this category, and the other judges (silksutra, Hopeless_roMINtic, Annonymouscreator) had 5, 5, and 6 books, respectively.
Score: 96/100

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*****

Rubric:
- Title: 5
- Book cover: 5
- Description (blurb): 5
- Plot & storytelling: 15
- Character development: 10
- Writing style: 10
- Grammar: 10
- Originality & creativity: 10
- Emotional impact: 10
- Pacing & structure: 5
- Accuracy (if non-fiction): 5
- Overall enjoyment & engagement: 10
Total: 100

*****

Total: 96/100

Title: 5/5
I'm getting fairy tale/Cinderella vibes here, and I approve. 🙂

Cover: 3/5
So, I thought at first glance that the cover was too busy, but when I sit and look at it, the only issue is the text. It just needs to be brought out more. Bigger size, for one thing, and maybe a highlight, or a translucent background, something to make it stand out more. The font choice and color white are perfect, though. And as far as your name, you don't need the "by:" and that needs to be bigger, too, because I can't read it from the book's title page, and I can only barely make it out when I click the book from your profile to bring up that pop-up box with a larger image. But, otherwise, the image is good, and I like the subtle frame, along with the subtle change in image from the top section with the title to the main section of the cover.

Blurb: 4/5
Only issue here for me is the last line, and I'm going back and forth about it. It's the last section after the comma. It feels to me like it shouldn't be there, because you already said the invitation was to Caerhayes Castle, but you haven't specifically called the ball the Caerhayes Ball yet, although you have said it's an invitation to a special ball. But it feels like it's dulling the hook to me. I think it would be better to just cut that phrase after the comma and leave the rest alone.

Plot & storytelling: 15/15
I can summarize my thoughts in this one statement: "fjdskafjdlsajfdskafjlasj!"

I love this so much! It's so sweet, and heartwarming, and poignant, and finishing those last two chapters with Milo and Daisy - oh, my gosh, those two are adorable. But, anyway, I'm supposed to be talking about plot and storytelling here. And I love it. I was trying to explain to someone else after I read the blurb and the author's note, and I finally settled on, "It's like Clue, but people fall in love instead of getting murdered."

Maybe an oversimplification, but...

It's one story, and it's a collection of short stories. It's a romance, and also a mystery. One night, two chapters, to introduce the reader to two people: their joys, their sorrows, their past, their future.

As a certified "pantser," I can't comprehend planning a story of this kind, but I'm so glad people like you can.

Character development: 10/10
Sometimes, I can read an entire book and still feel like I don't know the characters. I know your characters at the end of one chapter. Your skill at packing so much information into such a short space is amazing. Personalities, thoughts, emotions, physical descriptions, interactions, dialogue, etc.; they're all here. Ophelia and Chandler. Lavinia and Dominic. Daisy and Milo. I know them all, and if you ever feel like writing standalone stories following their relationships after this, I will 100% read them. But if you don't, which seems more likely, that's fine, too, because each finale is so satisfactory, even with an open ending.

Writing style: 10/10
Um...see all the above? I really don't know what else to say here. Your writing is so, so beautiful, so vivid, so imaginative, and I love it.

Grammar: 9/10
And your writing is also really, really clean. There are errors here or there, but they're minor typos and proofreading things, and they certainly don't detract from the stories.

Originality & creativity: 10/10
I mean, I feel like taking an entire novel to explore the relationship between two people is taxing enough. I don't know how you did this. It's just amazing.

Emotional impact: 10/10
Well...sympathizing with the conflicted feelings between Ophelia and Chandler, Lavinia's anger toward Dominic and her shock when he pursues her and offers her kindness, Daisy's insecurity and anxieties, Milo's calm, soothing presence... Yep. You nailed this.

Pacing & structure: 5/5
I was expecting this to be rushed. I certainly couldn't build a full, complete story with deep, relatable characters in only two chapters without sacrificing something, and pacing would probably be the first thing I burned on the altar, but you've pulled this off. None of the stories are rushed. The pace is as calm and collected as Milo's personality.

Accuracy (if non-fiction): 5/5
Free points. Yay! 🙂

Overall enjoyment & engagement: 10/10
Um...see all of the above? And finish this? Please? 🙂