We are delighted to announce the shortlist for our Romantic Novel of the Year Awards 2025.

The awards, which began in 1960, celebrate the very best of romantic fiction and are highly respected within the UK publishing industry. Over the past 64 years, winners have included bestselling authors Santa Montefiore, Joe Heap, Julie Cohen and Milly Johnson. The finalists represent both independent and traditional publishers, reflecting romantic fiction’s dynamic market.

Our Chair, Seána Talbot said: “This year’s shortlist is a tremendous testament to romantic fiction’s diversity and strength. We are proud to celebrate these outstanding books and this exciting mix of new and established writers. They make a vital contribution to this popular, much-loved genre.”

Sharon Ibbotson, the RNA Awards Coordinator, said, “It’s a pleasure to announce these shortlists. Our reader-judges have once again chosen wonderful love stories as this year’s favourites, and their authors deserve their praise. Congratulations to all our finalists and thanks once again to our reader-judges – these awards wouldn’t happen without them.”

Winners will be announced during the RNA’s Romantic Novel of the Year Awards ceremony, which is held this year at the Leonardo Royal London City Hotel, 8-14 Cooper’s Row, London EC3N 2BQ on 19^th May at 6.30pm.

The Joan Hessayon Award for New Writers which is sponsored by the estate of Dr David Hessayon will also be presented at the ceremony by Melissa Oliver (winner of the Award in 2020 and now its Coordinator). Our President Sue Moorcroft will present the Contemporary Romantic Novel Award and the remaining awards will be presented by our Chair Seána Talbot. Award winning author Brigid Coady will host the evening.

Tickets are available here: https://romanticnovelistsassociation.org/rna-events/romantic-novel-of-the-year-awards-2025

The full Romantic Novel of the Year Awards 2025 shortlists are:

(Authors are listed alphabetically)

The Joan Hessayon Award for New Writers

The Beat of Our Hearts Amanda Giles (D C Thompson)

Things We Do for Love and Science by Ruth Krämer (Champagne Book Group)

Love Rebooted by Katy Summers (Audible)

Secrets at Sunset by Vanessa Woolley (Kingsley Publishers)

The Fantasy Romantic Novel Award

The Love of Her Lives by C.J. Connolly (Joffe Books)

Now Comes the Mist by Julie C. Dao (Podium)

Meet Me on the Bridge by Sarah J. Harris (Amazon Publishing)

Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer (Penguin)

The Courting of Bristol Keats by Mary E. Pearson (MacMillan)

The Debut Romantic Novel Award

Summer at Tillingford Hall by Flora Dunn (Self Published)

Plot Twist by Breea Keenan (Headline)

The Night Before Christmas by Nicola Knight (Bloodhound Books)

Claire Morris is Completely Lost by Kristina Thornton (Northodox Press)

Floating Solo by Shelley Wilson (Self Published)

The Romantic Thriller Award

Cold Fury by Toni Anderson (Self Published)

The Memory of Us by Dani Atkins (Aria/Head of Zeus)

Freja Born by Jessi A. Charles (Austin McCauley)

Deadly Treasures by Jane McParkes (Self Published)

Whatever it Takes by Joy Wood (Self Published)

The Festive Holiday Romantic Novel Award

A Scottish Christmas by Emma Bennet (Joffe Books)

The Secret Santa Project by Tracy Bloom (HarperCollins)

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter (MacMillan)

A Very Irish Christmas by Debbie Johnson (Storm Publishing)

Look Up, Handsome by Jack Strange (HarperCollins)

The Shorter Romantic Novel Award

Camera Shy by Julia Boggio (Self Published)

The Christmas Book Hunt by Jenny Colgan (Amazon Publishing)

A Highlander to Protect Her by Jeanine Englert (Mills & Boon)

The Kiss that Made Her Countess by Laura Martin (Mills & Boon)

Her Summer with the Brooding Vet by Scarlet Wilson (Mills & Boon)

Slow Dance with the Italian by Scarlet Wilson (Mills & Boon)

The Historical Romantic Novel Award

The Butterfly Garden by Rachel Burton (Boldwood)

The Earl Pretender by Caitlyn Callery (Wild Rose Press)

The Wicked Lady by Elena Collins (Judy Leigh) (Boldwood)

Shadows in the Moonlight by Santa Montefiore (Orion)

The Last Song of Winter by Lulu Taylor (MacMillan)

The Romantic Comedy Award

Exposure! by Julia Boggio (Self Published)

The Winner Bakes it All by Jeevani Charika (HarperCollins)

Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez (Little Brown)

Love Me Till Wednesday by Suzanne Lissaman (Self Published)

The Happy Place by L.K. Wilde (Self Published)

The Contemporary Romantic Novel Award

The Second Chance by Charlotte Butterfield (HarperCollins)

PS: I Hate You by Lauren Connolly (Quercus)

Coming Home to Starr’s Fall by Kate Hewitt (Boldwood)

A Secret Cornish Wish by Ali McNamara (Little Brown)

A Love Letter to Paris by Rebecca Raisin (Boldwood)

The Romantic Saga Award

The Story Collector by Iris Costello (Penguin)

Evacuees at the Wartime Bookshop by Lesley Eames (Penguin)

Felicity’s War by Jean Fullerton (Atlantic)

Secrets for the Three Sisters by Annie Groves (HarperCollins)

A Sister’s Hope by Mollie Walton (Headline)

The Popular Romantic Fiction Novel Award

All the Painted Stars by Emma Denny (HQ)

Things We Do for Love by Miranda Dickinson (HQ)

New Beginnings at the Cosy Cat Cafe by Julie Haworth (Simon & Schuster UK)

A Christmas in Prague by Helga Jensen (Canelo Hera)

The Best is Yet to Come by Jessica Redland (Boldwood)

Please contact RNApr@romanticwriters.co.uk for further information.