2019 ARR Awards: finalists announced

Voting has opened today for the 2019 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 will now vote for their favourite in each category. (The voting link is available to members in the January newsletter.) Voting will close on 26 February.

Here are the finalists:

Favourite Paranormal Romance 2019

• My Solace by Alanea Alder
• Primal Instinct by Ally Parker
• Unforsaken by Cassie Laelyn
• Wolf Rain by Nalini Singh
• Wrath by Lana Pecherczyk
• Wrecked Intel by Mandy M Roth

Favourite Sci Fi, Fantasy or Futuristic Romance 2019

• Archangel’s War by Nalini Singh
• Sweep of the Blade by Ilona Andrews
• The Whisperers of Evernow by Heidi Catherine
• Wicked Wings by Keri Arthur

Favourite Historical Romance 2019

• Heart of the Cross by Emily Madden
• Marry in Secret by Anne Gracie
• The Cinema at Starlight Creek by Alli Sinclair
• The Clothier’s Daughter by Bronwyn Parry
• The French Photographer by Natasha Lester
• The Highlander’s Defiant Captive by Anna Campbell
• The Postmistress by Alison Stuart
• The Quarantine Station by Michelle Montebello
• The Wrong Highlander by Lynsay Sands
• Tightrope by Amanda Quick

Favourite Contemporary Romance 2019 – proudly sponsored by Allen & Unwin

• Beautiful, Fragile by Michelle Montebello
• Lies by Kylie Scott
• Repeat by Kylie Scott
• Stowaway by Stella Quinn
• The Round Yard by Alissa Callen

Favourite Short or Category Romance 2019

• Loving Lucas by Jayne Kingsley
• Miss Prim’s Greek Island Fling by Michelle Douglas
• Must Love Coffee by Sarah Mayberry
• Second Chance with the Single Dad by Kandy Shepherd
• Untouched Queen by Royal Command by Kelly Hunter

Favourite Romantic Suspense 2019

• Climbing Fear by Leisl Leighton
• Half Truths by Claire Contreras
• Hard Target by Pamela Clare
• Hell on Wheels by Penny Dee
• Lethal Balance by Cherise Sinclair
• Securing Caite by Susan Stoker
• Shadows Over Wongan Creek by Juanita Kees
• Under Currents by Nora Roberts
• Untouchable by Jayne Ann Krentz

Favourite Continuing Romance Series 2019

• Angel Calling series by Georgia Tingley
• Bewitched and Bewildered series by Alanea Alder
• Charley Davidson series by Darynda Jones
• Coalition Rebellion series by Justine Davis
• Deadly Seven series by Lana Pecherczyk
• Guild Hunter series by Nalini Singh
• Hidden Legacy series by Ilona Andrews
• Kings of Mayhem by Penny Dee
• Lost and Found series by Michelle Dalton
• Marriage of Convenience series by Anne Gracie
• Psy-Changeling series by Nalini Singh
• Tangled Vines saga by Megan Mayfair
• The Hartdale Brides series by Bronwyn Parry
• The Rogue Files by Sophie Jordan

Favourite Debut Romance Author 2019 – proudly sponsored by Booktopia

• Ally Parker
• Casey McQuiston
• Cassie Laelyn
• Jayne Kingsley
• Kaneana May
• Maya Linnell
• Meg Bignell
• Rania Battany
• Samantha Marshall

Favourite Australian Romance Author 2019 – proudly sponsored by Booktopia

• Alissa Callen
• Kelly Hunter
• Kylie Scott
• Maya Linnell
• Megan Mayfair
• Michelle Montebello

And the finalists for the Members’ Choice categories are …

Favourite small-town romance 2019

• 25 Reasons to Hate Christmas and Cowboys by Elle Thorpe
• Christmas on Hope Street by Megan Mayfair, Jayne Kingsley, Stella Quinn and Marianne Bayliss
• Christmas with the Firefighter by Clare Connelly
• Diamond in the Dust by Mel A Rowe
• Eddie and the Show Queen by Cathryn Hein
• Emma by Kelly Hunter
• Long Way Home by Nicola Marsh
• One Hot Christmas by Jacquie Underdown
• The Lone Star Lawman by Justine Davis
• The Round Yard by Alissa Callen
• The Trouble with Christmas by Amy Andrews
• Wildflower Ridge by Maya Linnell

Favourite couple in a 2019 romance

• Aislinn and Tobias in Aislinn’s Shadow by Samantha Marshall
• AJ and Liam in Wicked Pleasure by Taryn Leigh Taylor
• Alice and Eddie in Eddie and the Show Queen by Cathryn Hein
• Betty and Thom in Lies by Kylie Scott
• Clementine and Ed in Repeat by Kylie Scott
• Emmaline and Liam in Emma by Kelly Hunter
• Eve and Roarke in Connections in Death by JD Robb
• Faith and Will in Beautiful, Fragile by Michelle Montebello
• Fenella and Kieran in Shadows Over Wongan Creek by Juanita Kees
• Honey and Caleb in Biker Baby by Penny Dee
• Jenna and Max in Seduced by the Stranger by Alyssa J Montgomery
• Marigold and Finn in The Problem with Perfect by Megan Mayfair
• Marlene and Zennek in Barbarian’s Seduction by Ruby Dixon
• Memory and Alexei in Wolf Rain by Nalini Singh

Favourite 2019 romance cover

• Aislinn’s Shadow by Samantha Marshall (self-published)
• All Grown Up by Vi Keeland (self-published)
• Devil’s Daughter by Lisa Kleypas (Avon)
• Diamond in the Dust by Mel A Rowe (self-published)
• Epona by Michelle Dalton (Serenade Publishing)
• Highest Bid by Mel Teshco (Tule Publishing)
• Marry in Secret by Anne Gracie (Berkley)
• Repeat by Kylie Scott (self-published)
• Shattered Dreams by Rebecca Barber (self-published)
• Stowaway by Stella Quinn (self-published)
• The Cinema at Starlight Creek by Alli Sinclair (Harlequin)
• The Problem with Perfect by Megan Mayfair (Crooked Cat Books)
• The Sea of Lost Things by Kelly St-Laurent (self-published)
• The Sparkle Pages by Meg Bignell (Penguin Random House)

Congratulations to all the finalists!

Winners will be announced at the Awards Dinner, which will be held at Cello’s Restaurant in Sydney on Saturday 7 March 2020. If you would like to attend the awards dinner, you can buy your ticket here.