Dorrance Publishing reviews (2026): what authors praise and complain about
Dorrance Publishing is a real company, in business since 1920 by the Better Business Bureau's record, and it is well rated: 4.6 out of 5 (Excellent) from 45 reviews on Trustpilot, and A+ rated and accredited on the BBB. The BBB also lists 58 complaints in the last 3 years, 9 of them in the last 12 months. Trustpilot shows a claimed profile on a paid subscription, notes no recent history of asking for reviews, and that the company has not replied to negative reviews. 45 reviews, 38 in the last 12 months; 7 are one- to three-star. Below are the rating, what authors praise (it often names one project manager), what some authors report (7 one- to three-star Trustpilot reviews we logged, with dates and links), and what to ask any publisher before you sign.
The overall rating, on the day we read it
Trustpilot
4.6 out of 5 · “Excellent” · 45 reviews on Trustpilot
Read on 16 October 2026. We read the 11 four- and five-star reviews we logged from the 20 most recent (July to October 2026), and all 7 one- to three-star reviews: 10 × 5★, 1 × 4★, 1 × 3★, 2 × 2★, 4 × 1★.
Trustpilot shows a claimed profile on a paid subscription, notes no recent history of asking for reviews, and that the company has not replied to negative reviews. 45 reviews, 38 in the last 12 months; 7 are one- to three-star.
What authors praise
For some authors it works. Reviewers report:
- A debut author grateful to start a career with Dorrance, and wished the editing listed more spelling and grammar issues — “I'm grateful to start my career with Dorrance.” (5★, October 2026, Trustpilot)
- The author's project manager was named and praised as awesome — “my project manager Wylie was awesome” (5★, October 2026, Trustpilot)
- A math and physics book with formulas and diagrams was laid out well — “Dorrance did an excellent job” (5★, October 2026, Trustpilot)
- A named project manager was described as attentive and professional throughout — “Wylie has been attentive and professional throughout the project.” (5★, September 2026, Trustpilot)
- The author found the process simple and valued being kept up to date — “The process is simple and I like that I am kept up to date” (5★, September 2026, Trustpilot)
- An author of three Dorrance books says the company launches the book and then expects the author to carry on — “They give you the push out of the nest, and then you fly.” (5★, September 2026, Trustpilot)
- The author chose Dorrance over three other publishers and felt supported from start to finish — “I selected Dorrance Publishing over 3 other publishers” (5★, September 2026, Trustpilot)
- A first-time author's worries eased through the process — “any worries I might have had just melted away” (5★, September 2026, Trustpilot)
- A named contact was responsive and honest when she did not know an answer — “She was also honest when she didn't know an answer” (4★, August 2026, Trustpilot)
- The printed book quality was excellent and questions were answered within 24 hours — “The printed book quality was excellent” (5★, August 2026, Trustpilot)
- Confusing at first, then smooth once a fourth project manager was assigned — “as soon as we were assigned a fourth project manager” (5★, July 2026, Trustpilot)
We logged 11 four- and five-star Trustpilot reviews from the 20 most recent.
What authors complain about
Reviewers report the following, counted from the 7 one- to three-star reviews we logged. Each line links to the source.
Service after the sale (3 reviews)
- The book's front cover image was not shown on its Amazon listing — “The front cover photo of my book is not featured on Amazon.” (3★, July 2026, Trustpilot)
- An author reports no book, no payment and no response, for an experience dated May 2025 — “I haven't seen my book and I haven't seen a dime” (1★, May 2026, Trustpilot)
- Promotion lasted about three months, then no further contact; the next book was quoted above $4,000 — “Then they are done and have no further contact with you” (2★, March 2024, Trustpilot)
Editing quality (1 review)
- Editing went beyond the agreed mechanical edits, then the publisher stopped replying after full payment — “the publisher stopped responding to my communications” (1★, May 2025, Trustpilot)
Marketing that did not deliver (1 review)
- The author reports the sales pitch promised distribution and marketing that were not delivered, and a refused refund — “ZERO distribution effort” (1★, December 2024, Trustpilot)
Royalties and sales reporting (1 review)
- A 2012 title published under the RoseDog Books imprint stopped receiving sales information — “stopped sending me sales information on my Book” (2★, August 2025, Trustpilot)
How the sale was made (1 review)
- The author describes a sales email marked confidential that led to a contract the author felt obligated them to pay — “They send you an Email marked 'Confidential'” (1★, December 2024, Trustpilot)
Questions to ask any publisher before you sign
- Is this a publisher that pays you, or a paid service? Ask for the full price in writing, what it covers, and whether anything is added to a contract later.
- Is everything you were told on the phone written in the contract, including every fee and its date?
- Who is your point of contact, and what happens to your project if that person leaves or is away?
- What exactly is in the marketing, and what is delivered by when? Ask for a list of work, not a promise of results.
- Can you see your sales yourself? Who reports them, who pays you, how often, and from what share of the price (retail or wholesale)?
- What support continues after the book is published, and for how long? Ask what a second book would cost.
- Do you approve a proof before printing, and what happens if the printed book does not match it?
- If you want to end the contract, what happens to the listings and the rights, and how long does it take?
How we handle each of these
We are a competing publisher, so weigh this accordingly. These are the points above where our own pages already say what we do:
- Royalties and sales reporting. You publish on your own Amazon KDP account, so Amazon reports and pays you directly, and you can check every sale yourself. Our packages: 100% royalties and all rights stay with you
- Marketing that did not deliver. We make no sales promises: no marketing service can promise sales or bestseller status. Each package lists the work it includes. Our marketing services, and what each package includes
How this was researched
- We read the reviews of Dorrance Publishing on Trustpilot on 16 October 2026, and logged each review we used: its stars, its date and a theme, with a short paraphrase in our own words.
- A quotation, where we use one, is under 15 words, in quotation marks and linked. We do not edit reviews, write them, or ask for them to be written.
- Sources read so far: Trustpilot. We will add others and update this page, and the date above.
- We describe what reviewers report; we do not claim it is true of every author, and we have not tested the company's service ourselves.
If anything here is out of date, tell us and we'll correct it.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dorrance Publishing legit?
It is a real company with a long public record: the BBB lists it as A+ rated and accredited, in business since 1920. On Trustpilot it shows 4.6 out of 5 from 45 reviews on a claimed profile, and Trustpilot notes it has no recent history of asking for reviews. Both were read on 16 October 2026. The BBB also lists 58 complaints in 3 years, and some authors report problems, listed on this page with dates and links.
What do authors praise about Dorrance Publishing?
Of the 11 four- and five-star Trustpilot reviews we logged, authors praise the printed book, clear updates and fast answers, and several name one project manager. One five-star review says it took a fourth project manager before the process went smoothly.
What do the unhappy authors complain about?
Among the 7 one- to three-star Trustpilot reviews we logged, the themes reviewers report most are service after the sale (3), editing quality (1), marketing that did not deliver (1). Most concern what happens after the book is approved: sales information, royalties and contact after launch. Each is listed above with its date and a link. On the BBB, the complaints we read cover royalty reporting, printed copies that differed from the approved proof and slow replies.
Is Dorrance Publishing the same company as RoseDog Books?
RoseDog Books is an imprint of Dorrance Publishing, and some complaints on Trustpilot and the BBB name it. We treat them as the same company.
How is Harmony Publishing different?
We are a competing publisher, so weigh this accordingly. What we can point to: you publish on your own Amazon KDP account and keep 100% of your royalties and rights, and we make no sales promises about marketing. Each is linked on this page.