Romantic Novelists' Association Awards

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]

Romantic Novel of the Year aka RoNA Award

This award recognises the long romance novels, the categories of the Romantic Novel of the Year (RoNA) are:

• The RoNA for a Contemporary Romantic Novel

This category is for mainstream romantic novels set post 1960 and includes chick-lit, beach reads and genres such as paranormal/fantasy/time slip/romantic suspense.

• The RoNA for a Historical Romantic Novel

The Historical category is for romantic novels set in a period before 1960. Time slip novels may be included.

• The RoNA for an Epic Romantic Novel

Romantic novels containing serious issues or themes, including grittier fiction such as sagas, multi-generational tales may be included in this category, which may also include time slip novels.

• The RoNA for a Romantic Comedy Novel:

Romantic novels intended to be consistently humorous or amusing may be entered for this award.

• The RoNA for a Young Adult Romantic Novel

This category is for romantic novels where the main characters are teenagers/young adults.

Winners

• 2016: Letters to the Lost by Iona Grey (Simon & Schuster)
• 2015: Struck by Joss Stirling (Oxford University Press)
• 2014: A Night on the Orient Express by Veronica Henry (Orion)
• 2013: Welcome to Rosie Hopkin's Sweetshop of Dreams by Jenny Colgan (Sphere, Little Brown)
• 2012: Please Don't Stop The Music by Jane Lovering (Choc Lit)
• 2011: The Last Letter From Your Lover by Jojo Moyes (Hodder & Stoughton)
• 2010: Lost Dogs and Lonely Hearts by Lucy Dillon (Hodder & Stoughton)
• 2009: East of the Sun by Julia Gregson (Orion)
• 2008: Pillow Talk by Freya North (Harper Collins)
• 2007: Iris & Ruby by Rosie Thomas (Harper Collins)
• 2006: Gardens of Delight by Erica James (Orion)
• 2005: A Good Voyage by Katharine Davies (Chatto & Windus)
• 2004: Foreign Fruit by Jojo Moyes (Hodder & Stoughton)
• 2003: Playing James by Sarah Mason (Time Warner)
• 2002: The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory (Harper Collins)
• 2001: Someone Like You by Cathy Kelly (Harper Collins)
• 2000: Dancing In The Dark by Maureen Lee (Orion)
• 1999: Learning To Swim by Clare Chambers (Arrow)
• 1998: Kiss And Kin by Angela Lambert (Bantam)
• 1997: The Hours Of The Night by Sue Gee (Century)
• 1996: Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher (Hodder & Stoughton)
• 1995: Change Of Heart by Charlotte Bingham (Doubleday)
• 1994: Consider The Lily by Elizabeth Buchan (Macmillan)
• 1993: Emily by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles (Sidgwick & Jackson)
• 1992: Sandstorm by June Knox-Mawer (Weidenfeld)
• 1991: Phantom by Susan Kay (Transworld)
• 1990: Passing Glory by Reay Tannahill (Century)
• 1989: The Peacock's Feather by Sarah Woodhouse (Century)
• 1988: The Juniper Bush by Audrey Howard (Century)
• 1987: A Better World Than This by Marie Joseph (Century)
• 1986: A Song Twice Over by Brenda Jagger (Collins)
• 1985: Sunrise by Rosie Thomas (Piatkus)
• 1984: A Highly Respectable Marriage by Sheila Walsh (Hurst & Blackett)
• 1983: Magic Flutes by Eva Ibbotson (Century)
• 1982: Zemindar by Valerie Fitzgerald (Bodley)
• 1981: The Red Staircase by Gwendoline Butler (Collins)
• 1980: Parson Harding's Daughter by Joanna Trollope (Hutchinson)
• 1980 - Best Modern Award: Mr Rodriguez by Mary Howard (Collins)
• 1979 - Award Of Special Merit: The Emerald Peacock by Katharine Gordon (Hodder & Stoughton)
• 1979: Countess by Josephine Edgar (Macdonald & Jane)
• 1978: Merlin's Keep by Madeleine Brent (Souvenir)
• 1978 - Best Modern Award: It Was The Lark by Catherine Macarthur (Macdonald & Jane)
• 1977: Every Man A King by Anne Worboys (Hodder & Stoughton)
• 1976: The Look Of Innocence by Anna Gilbert (Hodder & Stoughton)
• 1976 - Best Modern Award: The Moon Is Square by Margaret Maddocks (Hurst & Blackett)
• 1975: Vote For A Silk Gown by Jay Allerton (Troubadour)
• 1974: The Burning Lamp by Frances Murray (Hodder & Stoughton)
• 1973: The House Of Kuragin by Constance Heaven (Heinemann)
• 1972: The Pride Of Innocence by Maynah Lewis (Hurst & Blackett)
• 1971: Flower Of Silence by Joanne Marshall (Harlequin Mills & Boon)
• 1970: Cat On A Broomstick by Joanne Marshall (Herbert Jenkins)
• 1970: Thea by Margaret Maddocks (Hurst & Blackett)
• 1970: Broken Tapestry by Rona Randall (Hurst & Blackett)
• 1969: Comfort and Keep by Doris E. Smith (Ward Lock)
• 1968: The Future Is Forever by Maynah Lewis (Hurst & Blackett)
• 1967: The Truth Game by Anne Betteridge (Hurst & Blackett)
• 1965: The Silver Answer by Margaret Maddocks (Hurst & Blackett)
• 1964: Journey from Yesterday by Suzanne Ebel (Collins)
• 1963: House Divided by Dorothy M. Cray (Hurst & Blackett)
• 1962: Larksbrook by Margaret Maddocks (Hurst & Blackett)
• 1961: Witches' Sabbath by Paula Allardyce (Hodder & Stoughton)
• 1960: More Than Friendship by Mary Howard (Collins)

Love Story of the Year aka RoNA Rose Award

This award (formerly the Love Story of the Year) recognises the best in category and shorter romance, serials in magazines are also eligible.

Winners

• 2016: Doctor... To Duchess? by Annie O'Neil (Harlequin Mills & Boon)
• 2015: Scandal’s Virgin by Louise Allen (Harlequin Mills & Boon)
• 2014: Bound by a Baby by Kate Hardy (Harlequin Mills & Boon)
• 2013: Beneath the Major's Scars by Sarah Mallory (HMB Historical Regency)
• 2012: The Dangerous Lord Darrington by Sarah Mallory (HMB Historical Regency)
• 2011: The Piratical Miss Ravenhurst by Louise Allen (Harlequin Historicals)
• 2010: Animal Instincts by Nell Dixon (Little Black Dress)
• 2009: Mistress: Hired for the Billionaire's Pleasure by India Grey (Harlequin Mills & Boon)
• 2008: Breakfast at Giovanni's by Kate Hardy (Harlequin Mills & Boon)
• 2007: Marrying Max by Nell Dixon (DC Thomson)
• 2006: Contracted: Corporate Wife by Jessica Hart (Harlequin Mills & Boon)
• 2005: A Family of His Own by Liz Fielding (Harlequin Mills & Boon)
• 2004: A Damnable Rogue by Anne Herries (Harlequin Mills & Boon)
• 2003: Illusion by Julia Wild (Heartline)

References