2022 ARR Awards: finalists announced

Voting has opened today for the 2022 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 February newsletter.) Voting will close on 14 March.

Here are the finalists:

Favourite Paranormal Romance 2022

• A Crown of Cruel Lies by Lana Pecherczyk
• A Relic of Magic and Gold by HM Hodgson
• A Song of Sky and Sacrifice by Lana Pecherczyk
• Keeper of My Desire by HM Hodgson
• Lightning in a Mirror by Jayne Ann Krentz
• Munro by Kresley Cole
• Storm Echo by Nalini Singh
• Sweetwater and the Witch by Jayne Castle

Favourite Sci Fi, Fantasy or Futuristic Romance 2022

• After Yesterday by Jacqueline Hayley
• Archangel’s Resurrection by Nalini Singh
• Emperor by Anna Hackett
• House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J Maas
• Ruined World by Jacqueline Hayley
• Sorrow’s Song by Keri Arthur
• Soul Taken by Patricia Briggs
• The War of Two Queens by Jennifer L Armentrout
• Wicked Nights by MJ Scott

Favourite Historical Romance 2022

• All is Fair in Love by Sasha Cottman
• How to Deceive a Duke by Samara Parish
• The Bachelor Betrayal by Maddison Michaels
• The Highland Earl’s Revenge by Cathleen Ross
• The Rake’s Daughter by Anne Gracie
• The Valkyrie Returns by Tanya Nellestein
• The Worst Lord in London by Anna Campbell
• Under the Dark Moon by Susanne Bellamy
• Up All Night with a Good Duke by Amy Rose Bennett
• When She Dreams by Amanda Quick

Favourite Contemporary Romance 2022

• 12 Weeks of June by Rania Battany
• A Country Christmas by Fiona Marsden
• A Town Like Clarence by Stella Quinn
• Beneath the Sapphire Sky by Dakota Harrison
• Book Lovers by Emily Henry
• Famous in a Small Town by Kylie Scott
• Hard Road Home by Fiona Marsden
• Hometown Cowboy by Dakota Harrison
• Kiss Hard by Nalini Singh
• Lola and the Single Dad by Kelly Hunter
• Mr Notting Hill by Louise Bay
• Tangled by Tinsel by Phillipa Nefri Clark
• The Heart Match by Phillipa Nefri Clark

Favourite Short or Category Romance 2022

• A Clever Christmas by Annie Seaton
• Escape with Her Greek Tycoon by Michelle Douglas
• Love and Ghosts by Louisa Duval
• Nurse’s Outback Temptation by Amy Andrews
• One Night with Her Forgotten Husband by Annie West
• Reclusive Millionaire’s Mistletoe Miracle by Michelle Douglas
• Return of the Outback Billionaire by Kelly Hunter
• Second Chance with His Cinderella by Kandy Shepherd

Favourite Romantic Suspense 2022

• A Hard Day for a Hangover by Darynda Jones
• Clouds on the Horizon by Penelope Janu
• Dead Horse Gap by Lee Christine
• Desperation in Death by JD Robb
• Forgotten Secrets by Susanne Bellamy
• My Killer Vacation by Tessa Bailey
• The Devil Within by Tanya Nellestein
• This Side of Fate by Tanya Nellestein
• Written in Dust by Mel A Rowe

Favourite Continuing Romance Series 2022

• Charley Davidson by Darynda Jones
• Devils MC by Tanya Nellestein
• Elsie Creek by Mel A Rowe
• In Death by JD Robb
• Lizzie Grace by Keri Arthur
• Outback Babies by Barbara Hannay, Trish Morey, Fiona McArthur and Kelly Hunter
• Psy-Changeling Trinity by Nalini Singh
• Rebels with a Cause by Samara Parish
• Sunshine Vicram by Darynda Jones
• The Brides of Bellaire Gardens by Anne Gracie
• The Immortal Keepers by HM Hodgson
• With Love, From Kurrajong Crossing by Dakota Harrison and Fiona Marsden

Favourite Debut Romance Author 2022

• Elizabeth Luly
• Faith Prince
• Gabriella Margo
• Jaclyn Combe
• Lark Taylor
• Laurelle Cousins
• Lela May Wight
• Rachel Armstrong
• Victoria Brookman

Favourite Australian Romance Author 2022

• Amy Andrews
• Anna Hackett
• Anne Gracie
• Dakota Harrison
• Davina Stone
• Fiona Marsden
• HM Hodgson
• Jacqueline Hayley
• Kelly Hunter
• Keri Arthur
• Lana Pecherczyk
• Michelle Douglas
• MJ Scott
• Penelope Janu
• Phillipa Nefri Clark
• Samara Parish
• Tanya Nellestein

And the finalists for the Members’ Choice categories are …

Favourite Banter/Dialogue in a Romance for 2022

• A Hard Day for a Hangover by Darynda Jones
• A Light in the Flame by Jennifer L Armentrout
• A Twist in the Tail by DD Line
• Book Lovers by Emily Henry
• Desperation in Death by JD Robb
• Ignite by Louisa Duval
• Lola and the Single Dad by Kelly Hunter
• Mr Romance by Louisa Masters
• Shooting to Win by Elouise Tynan
• The Bodyguard by Nichole Rose
• The Evie Effect by Davina Stone
• The Gamble on Love by Regina Rodgers
• The Trouble with Earls by Anna Campbell
• Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score
• Untamed by Cassie Laelyn
• With Love from Wish and Co by Minnie Darke

Favourite Romance Novella of 2022

• A Twist in the Tail by DD Line
• Blitzen by Samantha Marshall
• Bond of Passion by Larissa Ione
• Farm to Fabre by Dahlia Donovan
• Her Royal Christmas by Madeline Ash
• Nice Earls Do by Susanna Craig
• The Graveside Bar and Grill by Darynda Jones
• The Secretary and the Cowboy by Ella Goode
• The Sheikh’s Captive Lover by Mel Teshco

Favourite Romance Cover of 2022

• A Crown of Cruel Lies by Lana Pecherczyk (self-published)
• A Light in the Flame by Jennifer L Armentrout (Blue Box Press)
• A Relic of Magic and Gold by HM Hodgson (self-published)
• A Town Like Clarence by Stella Quinn (Harlequin Australia)
• A Twist in the Tail by DD Line (Gumnut Press)
• Fae’s Song by Helen Walton (self-published)
• His Choice by Leah Sharelle (self-published)
• House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J Maas (Bloomsbury Publishing)
• Kingdom of Chains by Tanya Bird (self-published)
• Last Resort by K Bromberg (self-published)
• Redeemed by Her Midsummer Kiss by Liz Fielding (Harlequin Mills & Boon)
• Shooting to Win by Elouise Tynan (Ardently Romance)
• Sorrow’s Song by Keri Arthur (self-published)
• The Evie Effect by Davina Stone (self-published)
• The League of Gentlewomen Witches by India Holton (Berkley)
• The Lonely Paddock by Laurelle Cousins (Escape Publishing)
• The Rake’s Daughter by Anne Gracie (Berkley)
• The Remembering Tree by HR Mason (Tangled Tree Publishing)
• The Traitor’s Game by MJ Scott (self-published)
• Wish of Dragons by Aja James (self-published)

Congratulations to all the finalists!

Winners will be announced on Saturday 25 March 2023.