British award for romantic novels
The Romantic Novel of the Year Award is an award for
romance novels since 1960, presented by
Romantic Novelists' Association, and since 2003, the novellas, also won the Love Story of the Year (now RoNA Rose Award).
[1]
In 2018, awards were given to men under their own names for the first time in the organisation's 58-year history.
[2]
Awards
Romantic Novel of the Year a.k.a. RoNA Award a.k.a. Popular Romantic Fiction
This award recognises the best long romance novels.
Winners
Love Story of the Year a.k.a. RoNA Rose Award a.k.a. Shorter Romantic Novel
This award (formerly the Love Story of the Year) recognises the best in category and shorter romance, serials in magazines are also eligible.
Winners
- 2003: Illusion by
Julia Wild (
Heartline)
- 2004: A Damnable Rogue by
Anne Herries (Harlequin Mills & Boon)
- 2005: A Family of His Own by
Liz Fielding (Harlequin Mills & Boon)
- 2006: Contracted: Corporate Wife by
Jessica Hart (Harlequin Mills & Boon)
- 2007: Marrying Max by
Nell Dixon (DC Thomson)
- 2008: Breakfast at Giovanni's by
Kate Hardy (Harlequin Mills & Boon)
- 2009: Mistress: Hired for the Billionaire's Pleasure by
India Grey (Harlequin Mills & Boon)
- 2010: Animal Instincts by
Nell Dixon (Little Black Dress)
- 2011: The Piratical Miss Ravenhurst by
Louise Allen (Harlequin Historicals)
- 2012: The Dangerous Lord Darrington by
Sarah Mallory (HMB Historical Regency)
- 2013: Beneath the Major's Scars by
Sarah Mallory (HMB Historical Regency)
- 2014: Bound by a Baby by
Kate Hardy (Harlequin Mills & Boon)
- 2015: Scandal’s Virgin by
Louise Allen (Harlequin Mills & Boon)
- 2016: Doctor... To Duchess? by
Annie O'Neil (Harlequin Mills & Boon)
- 2017: Christmas in the Boss’s Castle by
Scarlet Wilson (Harlequin Mills & Boon)
- 2018: Christmas at the Little Village School by
Jane Lovering (Choc Lit)
- 2019: Secret Baby, Second Chance by
Jane Godman (Mills & Boon)
- 2020: Miss Amelia’s Mistletoe Marquess by
Jenni Fletcher (Mills & Boon Historical)
- 2021: A Will, a Wish and a Wedding by
Kate Hardy (Mills & Boon True Love)
Contemporary Romantic Novel of the Year
This award recognises the best in category for mainstream romantic novels set in the present world or society.
Winners
Historical Romantic Novel of the Year
This award recognises the best in category for a romantic novel set pre 1960.
Winners
Romantic Comedy Novel
This award recognises the best in category for a romantic novel intended to be consistently humorous or amusing.
Winners
- 2012: Please Don't Stop The Music by
Jane Lovering (Choc Lit)
- 2013: Welcome to Rosie Hopkin's Sweetshop of Dreams by
Jenny Colgan (Sphere, Little Brown)
- 2014: It's Raining Men by
Milly Johnson (Simon & Schuster)
- 2015: Just a Girl, Standing in Front of a Boy by
Lucy-Anne Holmes (Sphere)
- 2016: Afternoon Tea at the Sunflower Cafe by
Milly Johnson (Simon & Schuster)
- 2017: Out of Practice by
Penny Parkes (Simon & Schuster)
- 2018: The Summer Seaside Kitchen by
Jenny Colgan (Sphere/Little, Brown)
- 2019: Not Just For Christmas by
Natalie Cox (Orion)
- 2020: A Question of Us by
Mary Jayne Baker (Aria Fiction, Head of Zeus)
- 2021: Sunny Days and Sea Breezes by
Carole Matthews (Sphere, Little, Brown)
Epic Romantic Novel of the Year
This award recognises the best in category for romantic novels that have a broad and sweeping scope. May be either contemporary or historical and may include time-slip.
Winners
Young Adult Romantic Novel
This award recognises the best in category for a romantic novel in which the main characters are teenagers or young adults.
Winners
Paranormal or Speculative Romantic Novel a.k.a. Fantasy Romantic Novel
This award recognises the best in category for a romantic novel that may be paranormal, fantasy, science fiction, time-slip etc.
Winners
Debut Romantic Novel
This award recognises the best romantic novel by a first-time author.
Winners
- 2019: The Rules of Seeing by
Joe Heap (HarperCollins)
- 2020: The Forgotten Village by
Lorna Cook (Avon, HarperCollins)
- 2021: The Authenticity Project by
Clare Pooley (Bantam Press)
Romantic Thriller
This award recognises the best in category for a romantic thriller.
Winners
Romantic Saga
This award recognises the best in category for the best romantic novel featuring saga elements of characters overcoming social adversity, usually set in the past.
Winners
- 2020: The Street of Broken Dreams by
Tania Crosse (Aria Fiction, Head of Zeus)
- 2021: Bobby’s War by
Shirley Mann (Zaffre, Bonnier Books UK)
References