The Romantic Novel of the Year is Romantic Novelists Association's major award and is open to all romantic fiction first published in the UK in the current year. The presentation is made at the RNA Awards Luncheon. In previous years this has taken place in April, but in 2008 it is being held in February.
Books all receive three reads from amongst a panel of over a hundred readers who are ordinary members of the public. The readers score the titles on such criteria as romantic content, readability, dialogue, characters, plot, style and setting. The books with the highest scores go on to a longlist and receive a fourth read. When that score has been added, the six books with the highest combined score form the shortlist for the year. The whole shortlist is read by all the final judges to select the outright winner.
2010: Lost Dogs and Lonely Hearts by Lucy Dillon (Hodder & Stoughton)
2009: Romantic Novel of the Year Winner- East of the Sun Wins 10th Feb, 2009
2008 is Pillow Talk by Freya North
Comment Tragic Blog: East of the Sun Wins 2009 Romantic Novel of the YearPast Winners 1960- 2007
2007 : Iris & Ruby by Rosie Thomas (Harper Collins) -
2006 : Gardens of Delight by Erica James (Orion) -
2005 : A Good Voyage by Katharine Davies (Chatto & Windus) -
2004 : Foreign Fruit by Jojo Moyes (Hodder & Stoughton)
2003 : Playing James by Sarah Mason (Time Warner)
2002 : The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory (Harper Collins)
2001 : Someone Like You by Cathy Kelly (Harper Collins)
2000 : Dancing In The Dark by Maureen Lee (Orion)
1999 : Learning To Swim by Clare Chambers (Arrow)
1998 : Kiss And Kin by Angela Lambert (Bantam)
1997 : The Hours Of The Night by Sue Gee (Century)
1996 : Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher (Hodder & Stoughton)
1995 : Change Of Heart by Charlotte Bingham (Doubleday)
1994 : Consider The Lily by Elizabeth Buchan (Macmillan)
1993 : Emily by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles (Sidgwick & Jackson)
1992 : Sandstorm by June Knox-Mawer (Weidenfeld)
1991 : Phantom by Susan Kay (Transworld)
1990 : Passing Glory by Reay Tannahill (Century)
1989 : The Peacock's Feather by Sarah Woodhouse (Century)
1988 : The Juniper Bush by Audrey Howard (Century)
1987 : A Better World Than This by Marie Joseph (Century)
1986 : A Song Twice Over by Brenda Jagger (Collins)
1985 : Sunrise by Rosie Thomas (Piatkus)
1984 : A Highly Respectable Marriage by Sheila Walsh (Hurst & Blackett)
1983 : Magic Flutes by Eva Ibbotson (Century)
1982 : Zemindar by Valerie Fitzgerald (Bodley)
1981 : The Red Staircase by Gwendoline Butler (Collins)
1980 - Best Modern Award: Mr Rodriguez by Mary Howard (Collins)
1980 : Parson Harding's Daughter by Joanna Trollope (Hutchinson)
1979 : Countess by Josephine Edgar (Macdonald & Jane)
1979 - Award Of Special Merit: The Emerald Peacock by Katharine Gordon (Hodder & Stoughton)
1978 : Merlin's Keep by Madeleine Brent (Souvenir)
1978 - Best Modern Award: It Was The Lark by Catherine Macarthur (Macdonald & Jane)
1977 : Every Man A King by Anne Worboys (Hodder & Stoughton)
1976 : The Look Of Innocence by Anna Gilbert (Hodder & Stoughton)
1976 - Best Modern Award: The Moon Is Square by Margaret Maddocks (Hurst & Blackett)
1975 : Vote For A Silk Gown by Jay Allerton (Troubadour)
1974 : The Burning Lamp by Frances Murray (Hodder & Stoughton)
1973 : The House Of Kuragin by Constance Heaven (Heinemann)
1972 : The Pride Of Innocence by Maynah Lewis (Hurst & Blackett)
1971 : Flower Of Silence by Joanne Marshall (Harlequin Mills & Boon)
1970 : Thea by Margaret Maddocks (Hurst & Blackett)
1970 : Broken Tapestry by Rona Randall (Hurst & Blackett)
1970 : Cat On A Broomstick by Joanne Marshall (Herbert Jenkins)
1969 : Comfort And Keep by Doris E. Smith (Ward Lock)
1968 : The Future Is Forever by Maynah Lewis (Hurst & Blackett)
1967 : The Truth Game by Anne Betteridge (Hurst & Blackett)
1965 : The Silver Answer by Margaret Maddocks (Hurst & Blackett)
1964 : Journey From Yesterday by Suzanne Ebel (Collins)
1963 : House Divided by Dorothy M. Gray (Hurst & Blackett)
1962 : Larksbrook by Margaret Maddocks (Hurst & Blackett)
1961 : The Witches Sabbath by Paula Allardyce (Hodder & Stoughton)
1960 : More Than Friendship by Mary Howard (Collins)
