The Bookseller.com

4th July 2009

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Romantic Novel of the Year finalists revealed

13.01.09 Clarissa Sebag-Montefiore and Katie Allen

Bestselling author Cecelia Ahern is among the six finalists for the Romantic Novel of the Year award.

Her fantasy novel published by HarperCollins, Thanks for the Memories, about a blood transfusion that has unexpected consequences, was described by readers as “an unusual story, full of originality”. Some 80 keen reader members of the public selected the longlist, which was then whittled down to a shortlist by a panel from the Romantic Novelists’ Association (RNA).

The award was set up in 1960 by the RNA to promote excellence in romantic novels and increase literary recognition of the genre.

Independent publisher Allison & Busby was nominated for Sophia’s Secret; the judges described the book, by Susanna Kearsley, as: “[a] most wonderful love story, a well-written, original and satisfying read”.

The winner will be announced four days before Valentine's Day. The Bookseller books editor Alice O’Keeffe will join Fanny Blake, Books Editor of Woman & Home, and Peter Crawshaw, who runs Lovereading.co.uk, to choose the winning novel.

Lesley Downer, Linda Gillard, Julia Gregson, and Judith Lennox were also shortlisted for the award.

Downer, nominated for The Last Concubine (Transworld) said: “I grew up with Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights and Pride and Prejudice and hugely enjoyed creating a romantic world of my own.

“I found it utterly gripping to write about a society that has no concept of romantic love. It made it all the clearer what a powerful and primeval force love is.”

Judith Lennox is hoping that the 'third time lucky' maxim might count this year. Her family drama Before the Storm, from Headline Review, is her third book shortlisted for the award. “So I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed,” she said.

The six shortlisted books are:
Thanks for the Memories - Cecelia Ahern (HarperCollins)
The Last Concubine - Lesley Downer (Transworld/Bantam)
Star Gazing - Linda Gillard (Piatkus, Little, Brown)
East of the Sun - Julia Gregson (Orion)
Sophia’s Secret - Susanna Kearsley (Allison & Busby)
Before the Storm - Judith Lennox (Headline Review)

Allison and Busby Orion Harper Collins Little Cecelia Ahern RNA Romantic Novelists’ Association Lesley Downer Transworld/Bantam Linda Gillard