2013 ARR Awards: finalists announced

Voting has opened today for the 2013 Australian Romance Readers Awards. Below are the finalists in each of the nine categories, as well as finalists in our three special Members’ Choice categories. ARRA members can now vote for their favourite in each category. (The voting link has been sent to all members via email.) Voting will close on 5 March.

Winners will be announced at the Awards Dinner to be held on 22 March 2014 at Cello’s Restaurant in Sydney. If you haven’t booked your ticket for the dinner, here’s the booking link.

Here are the finalists. Congratulations everyone!

Favourite Paranormal Romance – proudly sponsored by Galaxy Bookshop

• A Warlord’s Lady by Nicola E Sheridan
• Fish Out of Water by Ros Baxter
• Heart of Obsidian by Nalini Singh
• Iron Kin by MJ Scott
• Kinked by Thea Harrison
• Redemption by Erica Hayes
• Secret Reflection by Jennifer Brassel
• The Outcast Prince by Shona Husk
• The S.E.R.A. Files Vol 1 by CT Green
• Wolf with Benefits by Shelly Laurenston

Favourite Sci Fi, Fantasy or Futuristic Romance – proudly sponsored by Steam eReads 

• Alien, Mine by Sandra Harris
• Allegiance Sworn by Kylie Griffin
• Chaos Bound by Rebekah Turner
• Demon Chained by Erica Hayes
• Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs
• Heart of Iron by Bec McMaster
• Hindsight by Sarah Belle
• Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews
• The Blood She Betrayed by Cheryse Durrant
• White Christmas by Ros Baxter

Favourite Short Category Romance – proudly sponsored by Harlequin Australia

• Driving Her Crazy by Amy Andrews
• Girl Least Likely to Marry by Amy Andrews
• Imprisoned by a Vow by Annie West
• Miracle in Bellaroo Creek by Barbara Hannay
• The Love Deception by Jennifer St George
• The One that Got Away by Kelly Hunter
• The Pregnancy Plot by Paula Roe
• The Redemption of Rico D’Angelo by Michelle Douglas
• What Love Sounds Like by Alissa Callen
• What the Bride Didn’t Know by Kelly Hunter

Favourite Historical Romance – proudly sponsored by Bronwen Evans 

• A Rake’s Midnight Kiss by Anna Campbell
• It Happened One Midnight by Julie Anne Long
• Letter From a Rake by Sasha Cottman
• London’s Last True Scoundrel by Christina Brooke
• The Autumn Bride by Anne Gracie
• The Border Laird’s Bride by Allison Butler
• The Greatest Lover Ever by Christina Brooke
• The Persuasion of Miss Jane Brody by Isabella Hargreaves
• The Reluctant Bride by Beverley Eikli
• Untamed by Anna Cowan

Favourite Contemporary Romance – proudly sponsored by Escape Publishing

• A Basic Renovation by Sandra Antonelli
• Beneath Outback Skies by Alissa Callen
• Breathless by Dakota Harrison
• Exhale by Dakota Harrison
• Heartland by Cathryn Hein
• Holding Out for a Hero by Amy Andrews
• Lick by Kylie Scott
• Outback Dreams by Rachael Johns
• The House on Burra Burra Lane by Jennie Jones
• The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

Favourite Erotic Romance – proudly sponsored by eXtasy Books

• Betrayed by Christina Phillips
• Emily’s Cowboy by Donna Gallagher
• Her Savage Scot by Christina Phillips
• Rhythm of My Heart by Jess Dee
• Sarah’s Soldier by Donna Gallagher
• Skin by Kylie Scott
• Tainted by Christina Phillips
• The Secret Diary of Lady Catherine Bexley by Viveka Portman
• The Yearning by Kate Belle
• Uncommon Passion by Anne Calhoun

Favourite Romantic Suspense – proudly sponsored by Imogene Nix

• Burnt by Karly Lane
• Calculated in Death by JD Robb
• Darkening Skies by Bronwyn Parry
• For Her Eyes Only by Shannon Curtis
• Half Moon Bay by Helene Young
• Lost in Kakadu by Kendall Talbot
• Outback Fear by Suzanne Brandyn
• Shadow Woman by Linda Howard
• Whiskey Beach by Nora Roberts
• Wild Justice by Kelley Armstrong

Favourite Continuing Romance Series – proudly sponsored by Harlequin Australia

• Charley Davidson series by Darynda Jones
• Guild Hunter series by Nalini Singh
• Half-Light City series by MJ Scott
• Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews
• League of Love series by Donna Gallagher
• London Steampunk series by Bec McMaster
• Mercy’s Angels series by Kirsty Dallas
• Psy/Changeling series by Nalini Singh
• Sons of Sin series by Anna Campbell
• The Westruthers series by Christina Brooke

Favourite Australian Romance Author 2013 – proudly sponsored by Booktopia

• Amy Andrews
• Anna Campbell
• Anne Gracie
• Cathryn Hein
• Christina Brooke
• Donna Gallagher
• Helene Young
• Kelly Hunter
• Kylie Scott
• Rachael Johns

And the finalists for the Members’ Choice categories are …

Favourite Cover from a romance published in 2013

• Allegiance Sworn by Kylie Griffin (Berkley)
• Archangel’s Legion by Nalini Singh (Jove)
• Half Moon Bay by Helene Young (Penguin)
• Heart of Iron by Bec McMaster (Sourcebooks)
• Iron Kin by MJ Scott (Roc)
• Lick by Kylie Scott (Momentum)
• Lost in Kakadu by Kendall Talbot (Escape Publishing)
• My Lady Quicksilver by Bec McMaster (Sourcebooks)

The Sexiest Hero from a romance published in 2013

• Adrian ‘Trig’ Sinclair from What the Bride Didn’t Know by Kelly Hunter
• Alex Kristidis from Mistaken Identity by Alyssa J Montgomery
• Curran from Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews
• Daniel ‘Monty’ Montgomery from Outback Dreams by Rachael Johns
• Gareth Andrews from Emily’s Cowboy by Donna Gallagher
• Jake Prince from Holding Out for a Hero by Amy Andrews
• Logan Black from The One that Got Away by Kelly Hunter
• Reyes Farrow from Fifth Grave Past the Light by Darynda Jones
• Sir Richard Harmsworth from A Rake’s Midnight Kiss by Anna Campbell
• Tait Cavanaugh from Beneath Outback Skies by Alissa Callen
• Will Carver from Heart of Iron by Bec McMaster

Favourite New Romance Author for 2013

• Anna Cowan
• Dakota Harrison
• Victoria Purman
• Kirsty Dallas
• Alissa Callen
• Sandra Harris
• Sandra Antonelli
• Sasha Cottman
• Juliet Madison
• Kendall Talbot

(Here’s what the nominees for Favourite Cover look like…)