We are delighted to announce that HQ and HQ Digital have received three nominations for the Romantic Novel Awards 2023!
The RNAs celebrate the very best in romantic fiction and the awards are judged by readers, making them an even more impressive accolade. Congratulations to all the shortlisted authors, and especially to our very own authors who are on these prestigious lists! Read on to find out more about each shortlisted story…
Playing for Love by Jeevani Charika
Shortlisted for the Jane Wenham-Jones Award for Romantic Comedy
When Sam’s not working on her fledgling business, she spends her time secretly video-gaming. Her crush is famous gamer Blaze, and she’s thrilled when she’s teamed up with him in a virtual tournament.
But what Sam doesn’t know is that Blaze is the alter ego of Luke, her shy colleague – and he has a secret crush too.
Luke has a crush on Sam.
Sam has a crush on Blaze.
How will this game of love play out?
Congratulations, Jeevani!
Snowed in for Christmas by Sarah Morgan
Shortlisted for the Christmas/Festive Holiday Romantic Novel Award
A family gathering
This Christmas the Miller siblings have one goal – to avoid their family’s well-meaning questions. Ross, Alice and Clemmie have secrets that they don’t intend to share, and they are relying on each other to deflect attention.
An uninvited guest
Lucy Clarke is facing a Christmas alone, and the prospect of losing her job – unless she can win a major piece of business from Ross Miller. She’ll deliver her proposal to his family home in the Scottish Highlands and then leave. After all, she wouldn’t want to intrude on the Millers’ perfect family Christmas.
A Christmas to remember
When Lucy appears on the Millers’ snow-covered doorstep, she is mistaken for Ross’s girlfriend. But by the time the confusion is cleared up, a storm has hit and Lucy is stuck. As everyone settles in for a snowed-in Christmas, tensions bubble to the surface and suddenly Lucy finds herself facing a big family fallout with a family that isn’t hers…
Congratulations, Sarah!
Elodie’s Library of Second Chances by Rebecca Raisin
Shortlisted for the Contemporary Romantic Novel Award
When Elodie applies for the job of librarian in peaceful Willow Grove, she’s looking forward to a new start. As the daughter of a media empire, her every move has been watched for years, and she longs to work with the thing she loves most: books.
It’s a chance to make a real difference too, because she soon realises that there are other people in Willow Grove who might need a fresh start – like the homeless man everyone walks past without seeing, or the divorcée who can’t seem to escape her former husband’s misdeeds.
Together with local journalist Finn, Elodie decides these people have stories that need sharing. What if instead of borrowing books readers could ‘borrow’ a person, and hear the life stories of those they’ve overlooked?
But Elodie isn’t quite sharing her whole story either. As the story of the library’s new success grows, will her own secret be revealed?
Congratulations, Rebecca!
A further congratulations to our friends at Mills & Boon, whose authors have received a total of five nominations at this year’s RNA Awards!
Winners will be announced on 6 March 2023 at the Romantic Novel of the Year Awards in London.
