New England Romance Writers are pleased to announce the finalists in the 2025 New England Readers’ Choice Award.
Category Archives: Contests
Congratulations to the 2022 New England Readers’ Choice Award Finalists!
Please join the New England Romance Writers in congratulating the finalists in the 2022 New England Readers’ Choice Awards contest! The 2022 contest is for books published in 2021 or 2022.
Romance Novella
A.E. Jones, Demons Just Want to Have Fun
*A.G. Meiers, Snow, Love, and Valentine
Tracy Sumner, The Governess Gamble
L.A. Witt, I Think We Missed Our Turn
Erotic Romance
Laura Navarre, Gemini Queen
Barbara Nolan, Beyond Revenge
L.A. Witt, The Right to Remain
Historical Romance
*Terri Brisbin, The Highlander’s Substitute Wife
Jeanine Englert, Eloping with the Laird
Pamela Gibson, Scandal’s Redemption
Jennie Goutet, Philippa Holds Court
Paranormal/Fantasy/TT/SF
A.E. Jones, Demons in the Rough
Annette Miller, A Spirited Romance
Tracy Sumner, The Duke is Wicked
Romance with Religious/Spiritual Elements
Belle Calhoune, Alaskan Christmas Promise
Cathy McDavid, Blizzard Refuge
Olivia Rae, A Life Redeemed
Romantic Suspense
Toni Anderson, Cold as Ice
Toni Anderson, Cold Deceit
Peggy Jaeger, A Pride of Brothers: Aiden
Short Contemporary Romance
Terri Osburn, Not You Again
*Janet Raye Stevens, Cole for Christmas
Paris Wynters, Assigned
Long Contemporary Romance
Kilby Blades, Forrest for the Trees
Kilby Blades, Looks Good on Paper
Stacy Gold, Wild at Heart
* Member, New England Romance Writers
A special thanks to our Contest Committee and particularly to our Contest Coordinator, Jackie Horne.
The winners of the 2022 New England Readers Choice Awards will be announced at the end of April 2023.
Congratulations to Winners of 2020 New England Readers’ Choice Awards!
The New England Chapter of Romance Writers of America® is pleased to announce the winners of the New England Readers’ Choice Awards:
ROMANCE NOVELLA
3rd: Bernadette Walsh, See Me
2nd: Juno Rushdan, No Way Out
1st: Sandra Owens, Caitlyn’s Christmas Wish
EROTIC ROMANCE
3rd: Jordyn Kross, Winter’s List
2nd: Mia London, Accidental Tryst
1st:L. A. Witt, Assist
HISTORICAL ROMANCE
3rd: Nancy Yeager, Third Husband’s the Charm
2nd: Elizabeth St. Michel, Lord of the Wilderness
1st: Karen Muir, Fated Beginnings
ROMANCE WITH RELIGIOUS/SPIRITUAL ELEMENTS
3rd: Dana R. Lynn, Hidden in Amish Country
2nd: Laurel Blount, Hometown Hope
1st: Laurel Blount, A Rancher to Trust
PARANORMAL/FANTASY/TT ROMANCE
3rd: Patricia Barletta, Moon Bright
2nd: Lisa Rae Roman, Fae Touched
1st: McKenna Dean, Bishop Takes Knight
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
3rd: Jeanine Englert, Lovely Digits
2nd: Leslie Marshman, Goode Over Evil
1st: Kaylea Cross, Covert Vengeance
SHORT CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
3rd: Susannah Erwin, Wanted: Billionaire’s Wife
2nd: Claire McEwen, After the Rodeo
1st: Jo McNally, It Started at Christmas…
LONG CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
3rd: Miranda Liasson, All I Want for Christmas is You
2nd: Kilby Blades, The Secret Ingredient
1st: Ellie Finch, The Search for Prince Charming
GRAND PRIZE
And our grand prize winner, 6 weeks of author coaching with Mel Jolly, is: Jo McNally, It Started at Christmas… (short contemporary romance)
2020 New England Readers’ Choice Award Finalists
Please join the New England Chapter of Romance Writers of America® in congratulating the finalists in the 2020 New England Readers’ Choice Awards contest!
ROMANCE NOVELLA
Sandra Owens, Caitlyn’s Christmas Wish
Juno Rushdan, No Way Out
Bernadette Walsh, See Me
EROTIC ROMANCE
Jordyn Kross, Winter’s List
Mia London, Accidental Tryst
L. A. Witt, Assist
HISTORICAL ROMANCE
*Karen Muir, Fated Beginnings
Elizabeth St. Michel, Lord of the Wilderness
Nancy Yeager, Third Husband’s the Charm
ROMANCE WITH RELIGIOUS/SPIRITUAL ELEMENTS
Laurel Blount, Hometown Hope
Laurel Blount, A Rancher to Trust
Dana R. Lynn, Hidden in Amish Country
PARANORMAL/FANTASY/SF/TT ROMANCE
*Patricia Barletta, Moon Bright
McKenna Dean, Bishop Takes Knight
Lisa Rae Roman, Fae Touched
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
Kaylea Cross, Covert Vengeance
Jeanine Englert, Lovely Digits
Leslie Marshman, Goode Over Evil
SHORT CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Susannah Erwin, Wanted: Billionaire’s Wife
Claire McEwan, After the Rodeo
Jo McNally, It Started at Christmas…
LONG CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Kilby Blades, The Secret Ingredient
Ellie Finch, The Search for Prince Charming
Miranda Liasson, All I Want for Christmas
Be sure to join us at our annual Let Your Imagination Take Flight conference, April 25-26, at the Boston/Woburn Hilton, where the winners in each category will be announced, as well as the winner of the Grand Prize: Six weeks of author coaching by Mel Jolly ($600 value!)
A special thanks to our contest coordinator, Jackie Horne.
* denotes an NECRWA member
Congratulations to 2019 New England Readers’ Choice Finalists!
Please join the New England Chapter of Romance Writers of America® in congratulating the finalists in the 2019 New England Readers’ Choice contest! At the Let Your Imagination Take Flight Conference Awards Luncheon on Saturday, April 27, 2019 we will be announcing winners in each category, as well as the winner of our Grand Prize: a $250 gift certificate from Penny Sansevieri, CEO of Author Marketing Experts!
ROMANCE SHORT STORY
*Elizabeth Chatsworth, Ten Minutes Past Teatime
Piper Malone, Fabulously Tanked
Charissa Weaks, “Silver Heart” in Once Upon the Longest Night
ROMANCE NOVELLA
Barbara Lohr, Christmas Dreams and Santa Schemes
*Jess Vonn, The Summer I Saw You
*L. A. Witt, Christmas Homecoming
EROTIC ROMANCE
V. H. Luis, Fading to Black
*L. A. Witt, Once Burned
*L. A. Witt, Sink or Swim
HISTORICAL ROMANCE
Grace Callaway, Enter the Duke
Margaret Locke, The Legendary Duke
Margaret Mallory, Kidnapped by a Rogue
ROMANCE WITH RELIGIOUS/SPIRITUAL ELEMENTS
Oliva Rae, Adoration
Laura Scott, Primary Suspect
Sherri Shackelford, No Safe Place
PARANORMAL/FANTASY/SCIFI/TIME TRAVEL ROMANCE
Cara Crescent, Wretched
Marie Johnston, A Shifter’s Second Chance
Allie Marie, Hands of the Healer
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
Toni Anderson, Cold Blooded
Bev Pettersen, Along Came a Cowboy
Cari Z. and *L. A. Witt, Double or Nothing
YOUNG ADULT ROMANCE
Kilby Blades, Friended
Julia Day, Fade to Us
*Marissa Doyle, Between Silk and Sand
SHORT CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Marie Johnston, Rancher in Training
Heather Novak, Headlights, Dipsticks, and My Ex’s Brother
Radclyffe, Dangerous Waters
LONG CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Penny Jaeger, Dearly Beloved
Sandra Owens, Just Jenny
J. N. Welsh, In Tune
* denotes a NECRWA member
Congratulations to the Winners of the 2018 New England Readers’ Choice Awards!
Please join the New England Chapter of Romance Writers of America® in congratulating the winners of this year’s New England Readers’ Choice Awards!
CONTEMPORARY – LONG
1st place: Shelly Alexander, It’s In His Arms (Red River Valley #4)
2nd place: Rose Grey*, Waiting for You (Durrell Brothers #1)
3rd place: Maria K. Alexander, Awaken My Heart (Tangled Hearts #3) and Jo McNally, She’s Far from Hollywood
CONTEMPORARY – SHORT
1st place: Jen Doyle*, Holiday House Call (Calling It series)
2nd place: Kate James, Home to Stay (San Diego K-9 Unit #4)
3rd place: Angela Quarles, Earning It
EROTIC ROMANCE
1st place: Kilby Blades, Snapdragon
2nd place: Marie Johnston, Unmistaken Identity
3rd place: Karen Stivali, Moment of Fate (Moments in Time #5)
HISTORICAL ROMANCE
1st place: Patricia Barletta*, Moon Shadow (Book #2 Auriano Curse series)
2nd place: Abigail Dane, The Viscount and the Valet
3rd place (tie): Lisa Berne, The Laird Takes a Bride (The Penhallow Dynasty #2) and Michelle Sinclair, Never Kiss a Highlander
NOVELLA
1st place: Miranda Liasson, Can’t Miss Christmas (Mirror Lake Christmas series)
2nd place: Nancy Herkness, Second To None (Second Glances series)
3rd place: Maria K. Alexander, Believe In My Heart (Tangled Hearts #4)
PARANORMAL/FANTASY/SCIFI/TIME TRAVEL
1st place: Nadine Mutas, To Enthrall the Demon Lord (Love and Magic #4)
2nd place: Gabi Stevens, Mystic
3rd place: Saharra K. Sandhu, Fire in Ice: Tale of the Dragon Rider
ROMANCE WITH RELIGIOUS/SPIRITUAL ELEMENTS
1st place: Dana R. Lynn, Plain Target (Amish Country Justice #1)
2nd place: Dana R. Lynn, Amish Christmas Abduction (Amish Country Justice #3)
3rd place: Karen Foley, A Hummingbird Christmas (Glacier Creek #1)
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
1st place: Abbie Roads, Saving Mercy (Fatal Truth #1)
2nd place: Sarah Andre, Capturing the Queen
3rd place: Katie Reus, Resurrection (Redemption Harbor #1)
SHORT STORY
1st place: Gina Conkle, To Steal a Viking Bride
2nd place: Sionna Fox*, Etudes, in Symphony Amore: Erotic Stories of Love and Music
3rd place (tie): Jean C. Joachim, The House-Sitter’s Christmas and Madame de Boudoir, King of the Sea
YOUNG ADULT
1st place: Ann Gallagher, Having Her Back
2nd place: Meg Kassel, Black Bird of the Gallows
3rd place: C. C. Hunter, The Mortician’s Daughter
GRAND PRIZE ($250 certificate from Barclay Publicity)
Dana R. Lynn, Plain Target (Amish Country Justice #1)
* denotes a NECRWA member
Congratulations to 2018 New England Readers’ Choice Finalists!
Please join the New England Chapter of Romance Writers of America® in congratulating the finalists in the 2018 New England Readers’ Choice contest! At the Let Your Imagination Take Flight Conference Awards Luncheon on Saturday, April 29, 2018 we will be announcing winners in each category, as well as the winner of our Grand Prize: a $250 gift certificate from Barclay Publicity!
ROMANCE SHORT STORY
Madame de Boudoir, King of the Sea
Gina Conkle, To Steal a Viking Bride
Sionna Fox*, Etudes, in Symphony Amore: Erotic Stories of Love and Music
ROMANCE NOVELLA
Maria K. Alexander, Believe In My Heart (Tangled Hearts #4)
Nancy Herkness, Second To None (Second Glances series)
Jean C. Joachim, The House-Sitter’s Christmas
Miranda Liasson, Can’t Miss Christmas (Mirror Lake Christmas series)
EROTIC ROMANCE
Kilby Blades, Snapdragon
Marie Johnston, Unmistaken Identity
Karen Stivali, Moment of Fate (Moments in Time #5)
HISTORICAL ROMANCE
Patricia Barletta*, Moon Shadow (Book #2 Auriano Curse series)
Lisa Berne, The Laird Takes a Bride (The Penhallow Dynasty #2)
Abigail Dane, The Viscount and the Valet
Michelle Sinclair, Never Kiss a Highlander
ROMANCE WITH RELIGIOUS/SPIRITUAL ELEMENTS
Karen Foley, A Hummingbird Christmas (Glacier Creek #1)
Dana R. Lynn, Amish Christmas Abduction (Amish Country Justice #3)
Dana R. Lynn, Plain Target (Amish Country Justice #1)
PARANORMAL/FANTASY/SCIFI/TIME TRAVEL ROMANCE
Nadine Mutas, To Enthrall the Demon Lord (Love and Magic #4)
Saharra K. Sandhu, Fire in Ice: Tale of the Dragon Rider
Gabi Stevens, Mystic
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
Sarah Andre, Capturing the Queen
Katie Reus, Resurrection (Redemption Harbor #1)
Abbie Roads, Saving Mercy (Fatal Truth #1)
YOUNG ADULT ROMANCE
Ann Gallagher, Having Her Back
C.C. Hunter, The Mortician’s Daughter
Meg Kassel, Black Bird of the Gallows
SHORT CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Jen Doyle*, Holiday House Call (Calling It series)
Kate James, Home to Stay (San Diego K-9 Unit #4)
Angela Quarles, Earning It
LONG CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Shelly Alexander, It’s In His Arms (Red River Valley #4)
Maria K. Alexander, Awaken My Heart (Tangled Hearts #3)
Rose Grey*, Waiting for You (Durrell Brothers #1)
Jo McNally, She’s Far from Hollywood
* denotes a NECRWA member
2018 New England Reader’s Choice contest is open for submissions!
The 2018 New England Readers’ Choice contest is now open for submissions!
The New England Readers’ Choice contest for published authors recognizes excellence in published romance fiction. Our contest is one of the few judged exclusively by fans: librarians, booksellers, and devoted romance readers.
This year, the grand-prize winner of the New England Readers’ Choice contest will receive a Publicity Package or an Author Coaching package (winner’s choice) worth $250! The first, second, and third place winners in each category will receive a web badge, as well as a printed award certificate. Winners will be announced on the NECRWA website, in RWR, on NECRWA’s social media accounts, and at the Let Your Imagination Take Flight conference, to be held April 27-28, 2018.
Visit the NECRWA web site contest page at https://www.nerw.org/blog1/contests/ for more information, including how to enter. Questions? Contact [email protected].
Warm Congratulations to the 2017 New England Readers’ Choice Winners!
NECRWA would like to congratulate the 2017 New England Readers’ Choice contest winners, who were announced at the Let Your Imagination Take Flight Conference awards luncheon on April 8, 2017. And the winners are…
SHORT CONTEMPORARY
First place: Anna DePalo, Second Chance with the CEO
Second place: Barbara Wallace, Winter Wedding for the Prince
Third place (three-way tie): Peggy Jaeger, A Kiss Under the Christmas Lights, Robin Perini, San Antonio Secret, and Barbara Wallace, Christmas Baby for the Princess
LONG CONTEMPORARY
First place: Babette deJongh, Angel Falls
Second place (tie): Melynda Price, Beneath the Surface and Melynda Price, Fighting for Control
Third place: Rissa Brahm, Catching Preeya
ROMANCE WITH RELIGIOUS or SPIRITUAL ELEMENTS
First place: Olivia Rae, Redemption
Second place: Laurel Blount, A Family for the Farmer and Dana R. Lynn, Interrupted Lullaby
Third place: Kat Brookes, His Holiday Matchmaker
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
First place (tie): Tamra Lassiter, Guiding Fate and Tara Wyatt, Necessary Risk
Second place: Robin Perini, Forgotten Secrets
Third place (tie): Cate Beauman, Deceiving Bella and Katie Reus, Love Thy Enemy
HISTORICAL
First place: Loretta Chase, Dukes Prefer Blondes
Second place: Megan Frampton, One-Eyed Dukes Are Wild
Third place (tie): Linda Broday, To Love a Texas Ranger and Nicole Elizabeth Kelleher, Wild Lavender
EROTIC
First place: Laura Baumbach, The Dark Side
Second place: Shana Figueroa, Vengeance
Third place: Christina James, Operation Persuade Me
PARANORMAL
First place: Nadine Mutas, Blood, Breath, and Desire
Second place: Marissa Doyle, Skin Deep
Third place: Michelle Miles, In the Tower of the Wizard King
NOVELLA
First place: Tessa Gray, My Dearest Chloe
Second place (tie): Jessica Linden, Bodyguard and Debra Jess, A Secret Rose
Third place: Katie Reus, Merry Christmas, Baby
Thank you to our entrants and our judges for helping make our contest great!
Congratulations to 2017 New England Readers’ Choice Finalists!
NECRWA is pleased to announce the finalists in the 2017 New England Readers’ Choice contest! Winners will be announced at the Let Your Imagination Take Flight Conference Awards Luncheon on Saturday, April 8, 2017.
LONG CONTEMPORARY
Rissa Brahm, Catching Preeya
Babette deJongh, Angel Falls
Melynda Price, Beneath the Surface
Melynda Price, Fighting for Control
HISTORICAL
Linda Broday, To Love a Texas Ranger
Loretta Chase, Dukes Prefer Blondes
Megan Frampton, One-Eyed Dukes Are Wild
Nicole Elizabeth Kelleher, Wild Lavender
ROMANCE WITH RELIGIOUS or SPIRITUAL ELEMENTS
Laurel Blount, A Family for the Farmer
Kat Brookes, His Holiday Matchmaker
Dana R. Lynn, Interrupted Lullaby
Olivia Rae, Redemption
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
Cate Beauman, Deceiving Bella
Tamra Lassiter, Guiding Fate
Robin Perini, Forgotten Secrets
Katie Reus, Love Thy Enemy
Tara Wyatt, Necessary Risk
PARANORMAL
Marissa Doyle, Skin Deep
Michelle Miles, In the Tower of the Wizard King
Nadine Mutas, Blood, Breath, and Desire
SHORT CONTEMPORARY
Anna DePalo, Second Chance with the CEO
Peggy Jaeger, A Kiss Under the Christmas Lights
Robin Perini, San Antonio Secret
Barbara Wallace, Christmas Baby for the Princess
Barbara Wallace, Winter Wedding for the Prince
EROTIC
Laura Baumbach, The Dark Side
Shana Figueroa, Vengeance
Christina James, Operation Persuade Me
NOVELLA
Tessa Gray, My Dearest Chloe
Jessica Linden, Bodyguard
Debra Jess, A Secret Rose
Katie Reus, Merry Christmas, Baby
Congratulations to all of the finalists!