Romantic Novel of the Year Award Longlist

It's Awards season and this week the Romantic Novelists' Association has just posted the longlist for this year's nominated books for their prestigious Romantic Novel of the Year Award. I have to say that I'm very pleased with this year's choices. I don't know what the shortlisted titles will be yet, but bravo for choosing titles that represent all sub genres of romance in the UK so well.

Some of my favourites are on that list including the always delightful Katie Fforde, Lesley Pearse whose epic romances never fail to keep me engrossed from beginning to end, Elizabeth Chadwick, whose Medievals are wonderful, the fantastic chick lit writer Carole Matthews, Judith Lennox who writes heartwarming and heart tuggingly poignant wartime sagas and Jane Jackson, whose books I had the good fortune to review for Single Titles website. Also, I'm delighted that Nora Roberts is on the long list too! Nora is a fantastic writer. She's hugely prolific, but she's a writer I can count on to deliver an unputdownable story. I hope that that she gets shortlisted and gets the huge audience in the UK which she deserves.

I had also read two other writers shortlisted - Katie Flynn and Sarah Challis. Unfortunately, I didn't like the saga I'd read by Ms. Flynn (although to be fair I've only ever read one so maybe the others are wonderful and I'm missing out on a great author!) and Sarah Challis' book I read wasn't a favourite, I have to say. But best of luck to them!

Intriguing to see a male writer in the list and Rosie Thomas, whose book Sun at Midnight I'm itching to start. She's longlisted for Iris and Ruby, a book which looks really good.

I'm now waiting patiently to see which books get nominated for the final award and hoping that the RNA will publish the shortlist for the category romance of the year too. In the meantine, I feel a visit to the bookshop coming on, as I try to read all the authors in the list I've not read yet which means more books to be added to my already huge reading pile!

Have a good weekend!

Testing

Hello!

My name is Julie and I enjoy reading other people's blogs so much, that I thought why not have one of my own. I'm a wife and mother who review romantic novels in her spare time and who enjoys reading (obviously!), listening to the radio, the theatre, movies, cooking, socializing and history.

I'll be using this blog to write down my thoughts about life and what I am reading, watching or listening to!