And the winners were -

Veronica Henry triumphed over her fellow competing authors to win the Romantic Novelists' Association's highest accolade, the Romantic Novel of the Year with A Night on the Orient Express, published by Orion. Darcey Bussell, CBE presented Veronica with her trophies and a cheque for £5000.

 Veronica’s novel won the Contemporary Romantic Novel of the Year Category, for which she also received a specially engraved star-shaped trophy. Her book then went forward, along with those of the four other category winners - Epic, Historical, Romantic Comedy and Young Adult - to contest the Romantic Novelists' Association’s (RNA) most coveted award, the Romantic Novel of the Year.

The RoNA Rose Award

  This Award is for shorter category/series fiction and while it does not go forward to contest the main award, the authors are recognised through the presentation of a trophy and, this year, a cheque for £1000.These were presented by Darcey Bussell to Kate Hardy for her book Bound By A Baby, published by Harlequin Mills & Boon.

 Romantic Novel of the Year Category Winners

. The winners were:

 Winner Epic Category Romantic Novel of the Year

  Jennifer McVeigh, The Fever Tree, Penguin

  (for mainstream romantic novels set post 1960 and can include genres such as chic lit,  paranormal and romantic suspense)

  Winner Historical Category Romantic Novel of the Year

  Christina Courtenay, The Gilded Fan, Choc Lit

  (for novels set in a period before 1960)

  Winner Romantic Comedy Category Romantic Novel of the Year

  Milly Johnson, It's Raining Men, Simon & Schuster

 (for consistently humorous or amusing novels)

  Winner Young Adult Category Romantic Novel of the Year

 Imogen Howson, Linked, Quercus

  (features protagonists who are teenagers or young adults)

Katie Fforde, President of the RNA said, "Every year we are astounded by the quality of writing and enthusiasm from our entrants. Their passion is evident in their writing and all can be proud of having been part of the Awards this year. Our congratulations go to Veronica Henry, who is thoroughly deserving of her win and provided the judges with an intriguing plot with some twisty turns that delivered what can only be described as a page-turning novel. All in all a very well-earned win."

 Outstanding Achievement Awards

 Helen Fielding, author of the popular Bridget Jones novels, who defined the romantic angst of a generation, and Dr. David Hessayon were both presented with outstanding achievement awards.

 Dr. David Hessayon is a long-time friend of the RNA, having sponsored for many years the association's annual award recognising the best in new writing. The Joan Hessayon Award is named in memory of his late wife, an ardent and longstanding member of the RNA and great supporter of New Writers' Scheme (NWS).

  

Congratulations to all the winners -   and to everyone who was nominated. 

RONA AWARDS

Today's a big day for  writers of romantic fiction and all members of the Romantic Novelists' Association.
This evening  in London, the RoNA  - Romantic Novel of the Year  -  awards will be presented.

The shortlists were announced on February 14th and tonight  the winners of the shortlist categories for the Romantic Novel of the Year and the winner of the RoNA Rose Award for shorter fiction will be announced during a glittering ceremony in the Gladstone Library, One Whitehall Place, London SW1.   Former ballerina  Darcy Bussell  will present the prizes.

If you want to remind yourself  who was on the shortlist, there are detailed lists here on the RNA's web site.  You can pick you own winners from all these amazing novels.

I can't be there in person myself tonight but I'll be watching from the wings and cheering on so many friends and great writers. And I'll let you know what the results were just as soon as I know myself.

If you're on Twitter you can keep up with all the news at #RoNAs2014

Good luck tyo everyone -  I'm just glad that I don't have to choose from all those great reads!

And the winners were . . .

Judy Finnigan and Richard Madeley announced the five category winners who will contest the prestigious Romantic Novel of the Year during a glittering reception in London.

The winning novels will now be read and judged by five independent industry experts, and the overall winner will be revealed at the Romantic Novelists' Association's (RNA) Summer Party on 16 May 2013.

Katie Fforde has won the Contemporary Category for the second year running with Recipe for Love. This category is for mainstream romantic novels set after 1960. The other competing authors included Veronica Henry, Mhairi McFarlane, Monica McInerney, Sue Moorcroft and Polly Williams.
In the Epic Category, which deals with issues or themes including multi-generational novels, Rowan Coleman triumphed with Dearest Rose. Other finalists included Madeline Miller, Dilly Court, Kate Moreton, Gill Paul and Liz Trenow.

Finalists in the Historical Category (set before 1960) included Charlotte Betts, Christina Courtenay, Kate Furnivall, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanne Kearsley and Mary Nichols. Charlotte Betts was declared the winner with her novel The Apothecary's Daughter.

In the Romantic Comedy Category, for consistently humorous or amusing novels, the finalists included Jenny Colgan, Victoria Connelly, Jane Costello, Nicola Doherty, Belinda Jones and Jane Wenham-Jones. Jenny Colgan claimed victory with Welcome to Rosie Hopkins’ Sweetshop of Dreams.

The Young Adult Category features protagonists who are teenagers or young adults and the shortlist this year included Jo Cotterill, Laura Jarratt, Marie-Louise Jensen, Victoria Lamb, Sarra Manning and Susan Waggoner. Victoria Lamb was declared winner with her book Witchstruck.

The RoNA Rose Award, which recognises the best in category/series and shorter romance that focuses on a developing love affair between hero and heroine, was presented for the second year running to Sarah Mallory, author of Beneath the Major's Scars. Her rivals included: Fiona Harper, Heidi Rice, Carol Townend, and Scarlett Wilson, who had two books nominated. This category does not go forward to contest the Romantic Novel of the Year.

Long-time RNA member, Sophie Kinsella, was honoured with an Outstanding Achievement Award for her continued contribution to the world of romantic fiction.

Things to celebrate . . .

Today's a day for celebrating -  several things  worth mentioning.

First of all, there's the UK publication of The Devil and Miss Jones.

Of course the official publication date was March 2nd - Friday - but I was blogging elsewhere then so I'm making today the special publication day to celebrate.  A new book is always worth celebrating and this one is one of those special number books -  my 60th title!  I find it hard to believe I've written that many - but as I always say, I wrote them one word at a time.

Another thing well worth celebrating is the fact that over on the Mills & Boon website,  The Devil and Miss Jones is currently atr #3 in the top ten sales on that site. So thank you so very much to everyone who bought a copy to  put it there.

Finally, today is the day when the Romantic Novelists' Association presented their awards - the RONA. Sadly I wasn't able to  get to London to be at the ceremony -  I would have loved to be at such a celbration of romantic fiction in all its variety. There are awards for contemporary novels, historical novels, sagas, romantic comedies, young adult romances, and shorter-length romances. There’s also the Harry Bowling prize for unpublished novels.  You can see the full shortlists here

And the winners were _

CONTEMPORARY ROMANTIC NOVEL

Summer of Love    By Katie Fforde

EPIC ROMANTIC NOVEL

The Kashmir Shawl   By Rosie Thomas

HISTORICAL ROMANTIC NOVEL

 Highland Storms     By Christina Courtenay

ROMANTIC COMEDY NOVEL

Please Don’t Stop the Music      By Jane Lovering

YOUNG ADULT ROMANTIC NOVEL

Dark Ride  By Caroline Green

THE RoNA ROSE AWARD

The Dangerous Lord Darrington   By Sarah Mallory

THE HARRY BOWLING PRIZE WINNER

A Dark Flowering by Natalie Lloyd-Evans

Congratulations to all the winners - and to everyone on the shortlist. There's a rfeal treasure trove of romantic reading there.