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Our shortlisted authors for 2022, chosen by our readers, delivered both. Sharon Ibbotson, the Awards Coordinator for the Romantic Novelists’ Association, commented, “During a difficult year, people needed escapism and romance more than ever. The awards are unique in that they are judged entirely by readers, without input from any industry professionals.
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Previous winners include Phillipa Gregory, Joanna Trollope and Rosamunde Pilcher. The awards, which have been held since their inception in 1960, are highly respected in the UK publishing industry. The Outstanding Achievement Award will be presented later this year. The award categories for this year are as follows: The Fantasy Romantic Novel Award, the Jackie Collins Award for Romantic Thrillers, the Katie Fforde Debut Romantic Novel Award, the Christmas / Festive Holiday Romantic Novel Award, the Shorter Romantic Novel Award, the Romantic Saga Award, the Jane Wenham-Jones Award for Romantic Comedy, the Historical Romantic Novel Award, the Contemporary Romantic Novel Award, and the Popular Romantic Fiction Award (voted for by librarians, booksellers and book bloggers / reviewers). In addition, the Romantic Comedy Novel Award has been renamed the Jane Wenham-Jones Award for Romantic Comedy, in honour of the late Jane Wenham-Jones, author, broadcaster and compère for the Romantic Novel Awards for the past eleven years. The awards celebrate excellence in romantic fiction in all its forms, and this year includes a new category, the Christmas / Festive Holiday Romantic Novel Award. TUESDAY 1ST FEBRUARY 2022 We are delighted to announce the shortlists for this year’s Romantic Novel Awards, as well as the winner of the Popular Fiction Award for 2022.