Romantic Novelists' Association Awards


The Romantic Novel of the Year Award is an award for romance novels since 1960, presented by the Romantic Novelists' Association, and since 2003, for novellas, as the Love Story of the Year.

Winners

Romantic Novel of the Year a.k.a. RoNA Award a.k.a. Popular Romantic Fiction

This award recognises the best long romance novels.
This award recognises the best in category and shorter romance, serials in magazines are also eligible.
  • 2003: Illusion by Julia Wild
  • 2004: A Damnable Rogue by Anne Herries
  • 2005: A Family of His Own by Liz Fielding
  • 2006: Contracted: Corporate Wife by Jessica Hart
  • 2007: Marrying Max by Nell Dixon
  • 2008: Breakfast at Giovanni's by Kate Hardy
  • 2009: Mistress: Hired for the Billionaire's Pleasure by India Grey
  • 2010: Animal Instincts by Nell Dixon
  • 2011: The Piratical Miss Ravenhurst by Louise Allen
  • 2012: The Dangerous Lord Darrington by Sarah Mallory
  • 2013: Beneath the Major's Scars by Sarah Mallory
  • 2014: Bound by a Baby by Kate Hardy
  • 2015: Scandal’s Virgin by Louise Allen
  • 2016: Doctor... To Duchess? by Annie O'Neil
  • 2017: Christmas in the Boss’s Castle by Scarlet Wilson
  • 2018: Christmas at the Little Village School by Jane Lovering
  • 2019: Secret Baby, Second Chance by Jane Godman
  • 2020: Miss Amelia’s Mistletoe Marquess by Jenni Fletcher
  • 2021: A Will, a Wish and a Wedding by Kate Hardy
  • 2022: A Proposal to Risk Their Friendship by Louise Allen
  • 2023: The Earl’s Mysterious Lady by Louise Allen
  • 2024: Cinderella’s Deal with the Colonel by Jenni Fletcher
  • 2025: Camera Shy by Julia Boggio

    Contemporary Romantic Novel of the Year

This award recognises the best in category for mainstream romantic novels set in the present world or society.
  • 2012: Summer of Love by Katie Fforde
  • 2013: Recipe for Love by Katie Fforde
  • 2014: A Night on the Orient Express by Veronica Henry
  • 2015: A Hundred Pieces of Me by Lucy Dillon
  • 2016: The Wedding Cake Tree by Melanie Hudson
  • 2017: Summer at the Comfort Food Cafe by Debbie Johnson
  • 2018: Together by Julie Cohen
  • 2019: One Thousand Stars and You by Isabelle Broom
  • 2020: A Summer to Remember by Sue Moorcroft
  • 2021: My One True North by Milly Johnson
  • 2022: A Sky Full of Stars by Dani Atkins
  • 2023: A Cottage Full of Secrets by Jane Lovering
  • 2024: Evergreens by Liam Brown
  • 2025: A Love Letter to Paris by Rebecca Raisin

    Historical Romantic Novel of the Year

This award recognises the best in category for a romantic novel set pre 1960.
  • 2012: Highland Storms by Christina Courtenay
  • 2013: The Apothecary's Daughter by Charlotte Betts
  • 2014: The Gilded Fan by Christina Courtenay
  • 2015: The Girl Who Came Home by Hazel Gaynor
  • 2016: Letters to the Lost by Iona Grey
  • 2017: It Was Only Ever You by Kate Kerrigan
  • 2018: The Designer by Marius Gabriel
  • 2019: The Temptation of Gracie by Santa Montefiore
  • 2020: The French Photographer by Natasha Lester
  • 2021: Rags-to-Riches Wife by Catherine Tinley
  • 2022: A Waltz with the Outspoken Governess by Catherine Tinley
  • 2023: The Three Lives of Alix St Pierre by Natasha Lester
  • 2024: The Night She Met the Duke by Sarah Mallory
  • 2025: Joint winners The Wicked Lady by Judy Leigh and The Last Song of Winter by Lulu Taylor

    Romantic Comedy Novel

This award recognises the best in category for a romantic novel intended to be consistently humorous or amusing.
  • 2012: Please Don't Stop The Music by Jane Lovering
  • 2013: Welcome to Rosie Hopkin's Sweetshop of Dreams by Jenny Colgan
  • 2014: It's Raining Men by Milly Johnson
  • 2015: Just a Girl, Standing in Front of a Boy by Lucy-Anne Holmes
  • 2016: Afternoon Tea at the Sunflower Cafe by Milly Johnson
  • 2017: Out of Practice by Penny Parkes
  • 2018: The Summer Seaside Kitchen by Jenny Colgan
  • 2019: Not Just For Christmas by Natalie Cox
  • 2020: A Question of Us by Mary Jayne Baker
  • 2021: Sunny Days and Sea Breezes by Carole Matthews
  • 2022: Joint winners Mr Right Across the Street by Kathryn Freeman and The Promise of Summer by Bella Osborne
  • 2023: Take a Chance on Greece by Emily Kerr
  • 2024: You’ve Got This by Maxine Morrey
  • 2025: Love Me Till Wednesday by Suzanne Lissaman

    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.
  • 2012: The Kashmir Shawl by Rosie Thomas
  • 2013: Dearest Rose by Rowan Coleman
  • 2014: The Fever Tree by Jennifer McVeigh
  • 2015: Pieces of You by Ella Harper
  • 2016: The Secrets We Share by Emma Hannigan
  • 2017: Little Girl Lost by Janet Gover
  • 2018: This Love by Dani Atkins

    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.
  • 2012: Dark Ride by Caroline Green
  • 2013: Witchstruck by Victoria Lamb
  • 2014: Linked by Imogen Howson
  • 2015: Struck by Joss Stirling
  • 2016: Crow Mountain by Lucy Inglis
  • 2017: Love Song by Sophia Bennett
  • 2018: Ten Birthdays by Kerry Wilkinson