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Romance book awards
Recognition for romance that earns its ending rather than arriving at it. Every book is read in full and measured against our published Standard of Excellence.
What this category recognizes
Romance makes a promise: a central love story and an emotionally satisfying resolution. That promise is a structural obligation rather than a limitation, and the craft lies in meeting it while making the outcome feel uncertain.
The category covers contemporary, historical, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, romantasy, and romance across the full range of heat levels. All are assessed on the same ten pillars.
The most common weakness is a conflict that could be resolved by one honest conversation.
What the standard looks like here
The ten pillars apply to every category. This is how each one is read when the book is a romance.
The Writing
Voice, Tone and Style
Whether both leads sound like distinct people.
Craft and Technical Execution
Whether attraction is built through interaction rather than declared.
Structure and Organization
Whether the beats are earned rather than hit on schedule.
The Substance
Originality and Concept Strength
Whether the book brings something to a heavily worked field.
Depth of Content and Insight
Whether the obstacle is genuine and both characters have interior lives beyond the relationship.
The Reader
Audience Impact and Purpose Fulfillment
Whether the book delivers what its subgenre and heat level promise.
Emotional and Psychological Impact
Whether the reader is invested rather than merely waiting.
Overall Impact and Distinction
Whether the ending satisfies on reflection as well as on arrival.
The Finished Book
Production Quality and Presentation
Trade-standard editing, typesetting, and cover design appropriate to the subgenre.
Category Relevance
Whether the love story is genuinely the book.
Questions about entering a romance book
Does heat level affect assessment?
No. Closed-door and explicit romance are assessed against the same ten pillars.
Is romantasy assessed here or in Fantasy?
Either. Enter where the center of gravity sits, or enter both.
Does my romance need a happy ending?
The category is defined by an emotionally satisfying resolution. Books that end otherwise are usually stronger entries in Contemporary or Literary Fiction.
Related categories
Submit your romance book
Entry is $79 for your first category. Your complete manuscript is read in full and measured against the ten pillars.